A Scoping Review of State-Level Disparities Using the 2023-24 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey

Maternal and child health is a critical measure of health system effectiveness and human development. While Southwest Nigeria has made measurable progress and continues to outperform several other regions, recent evidence reveals deep and consequential disparities in outcomes across states. Strong performance in some indicators coexists with serious gaps in others, underscoring the limits of relying on regional averages.

This scoping review, conducted by the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission, draws on data from the 2023–24 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey and complementary health system sources to assess maternal and child health outcomes across the six Southwest states. It highlights state-level inequities, identifies priority gaps, and presents evidence-based insights to support targeted, accountable, and results-driven interventions necessary to achieve national and Sustainable Development Goal targets by 2030.

The entire review is here