Exploring the barriers of faith leadership in strengthening family planning demands in Nigeria: a scoping review
Abstract Background Faith leadership and inclination greatly influence the perception, attitude, and practice of family planning in Nigeria. Amidst the need for child spacing and population management, barriers plague these authorities and affiliates (beyond dictates) in driving FP demands among und...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Springer
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Discover Social Science and Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1007/s44155-025-00262-w |
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| Summary: | Abstract Background Faith leadership and inclination greatly influence the perception, attitude, and practice of family planning in Nigeria. Amidst the need for child spacing and population management, barriers plague these authorities and affiliates (beyond dictates) in driving FP demands among underserved populations. The study explored key concepts on the limitations faced by faith leaders and religiously inclined influencers in bolstering FP demands among constrained populations needing service provision in Nigeria. Methods This scoping review was conducted leveraging Arksey and O’Malley’s framework, across PubMed, ProQuest, EBSCO, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases. Entries were imported into Rayyan systematic review software for deduplication, title/abstract screening, and full-text screening. Data was extracted using the 2021 PRISMA-Scr template, and findings were reported. Results A total of 159 studies were retrieved and 7 articles met our inclusion criteria. Faith leaders in Nigeria generally support family planning (FP), however their endorsement favors natural methods over modern contraceptives due to religious doctrines. Significant barriers—including doctrinal opposition, cultural norms, socio-economic limitations, and misinformation—continue to hinder FP demand, highlighting the need for faith-sensitive, evidence-based strategies to improve contraceptive awareness and access. Conclusion The findings demonstrated that religious leaders are not against family planning uptake in Nigeria. However, there is a poor knowledge of modern contraceptive methods. The identified barriers highlights the tension between religious obligations and family planning advocacy, with critical gaps in collaboration and tailored strategies for increasing contraceptive awareness. Strengthening partnerships and consistent FP messaging among faith leaders could significantly enhance demand and service provision for constrained populations. |
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| ISSN: | 2731-0469 |