Concerned by the spate of unsafe sex by adolescents in the country, an NGO, the Nigerian Urban Reproductive Health Initiative, says there is a need for increased information about unsafe sex to reduce the consequences.
 
According to the NGO, current studies indicate that about one-quarter of Nigerian adolescents are sexually active, with the age of sexual debut ranging from 10 to 15 years.
 
Dr Omasanjuwa Edun, Lagos State Team LEader, NURHI , made the assertion at a meeting on Net Mapping of Adolscents and Youth Family Planning Situation in Lagos State, on Wednesday.
 
“It has been projected that the population of young people in Nigeria will exceed 57 million by 2025, a large proportion of which are adolescents.
 
“Adolescents constitute an important proportion of the population of Nigeria and they have delicate stages that present with challenges, especially that of sexual and reproductive health due to the developmental changes.
 
“Unsafe sex is a common practice among youths resulting in an unintended pregnancy that ends in unsafe abortion and its complications.
 
“This practice also exposes them to Sexually Transmitted Infections and HIV with a prevalence of 17 percent among adolescents in the southeastern part and 14 percent in the northern part of the country.’’
 
Edun said: “Adolescent pregnancy is also a daunting problem in Nigeria.
 
“A study by Envuladu, Van de Kwaak Anke, Zwanikken and Zoaka, published in the International Journal of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences 2017, shows that unsafe sex is a common practice among adolescents.
 
“According to the study, inconsistent and incorrect condom use by them results in an unintended pregnancy that ends in unsafe abortion and its complications.