Male fertility preference and contraceptive use in Nigeria: a multilevel analysis

Ololade Adewole, National Centre for Technology Management, Nigeria
Sunday A. Adedini, Obafemi Awolowo University and University of the Witwatersrand
Luqman Bisiriyu, Obafemi Awolowo University

Most previous family planning policies in sub-Sahara Africa have principally been geared towards women. However, researchers have suggested that men should be the target of family planning programs, particularly in societies with a patriarchal structure. Hence, this study employed a multilevel model approach, to identify the underlying contextual factors influencing fertility preference and contraceptive use among men in Nigeria, a country with predominantly patriarchal structure. The study utilized male data from 2013 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey. The findings showed that men with high fertility preference had low contraceptive use (p<0.05), and community variables like region, place of residence, ethnic diversity, community poverty, community level of education, community family-size norm and community media-access significantly influenced the relationship between fertility preference and contraceptive use. Findings of this study thus established community contexts as important factors that must be taken into consideration in the efforts to address the persistently low contraceptive prevalence and high fertility level in Nigeria.