Effects of internal migration, individual and contextual factors on contraceptive use among Nigerian women

Joshua O. Akinyemi, University of Ibadan and University of the Witwatersrand
Sunday A. Adedini, Obafemi Awolowo University and University of the Witwatersrand
Ayo S. Adebowale, University of Ibadan

In this study, we analysed data on 28,876 sexually active women in the 2008 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey to address three questions: (1) what are the patterns and factors associated with internal migration in Nigeria? (2) what is the relationship between internal migration and contraceptive use? and (3) what individual and contextual factors mediate the relationship between internal migration and contraceptive use? The results show that 4.7% and 11.7% of the study sample were rural-urban and urban-rural migrants respectively. Migration status differ by geo-political region, education, and wealth quintile. There was significant differential in contraceptive use among migrant groups but these were explained by individual and contextual characteristics. Despite controlling for all variables, women from Northeast (OR=0.66, CI: 0.52-0.83) and Northwest (OR=0.37, CI: 0.29-0.48) regions were less likely to use contraceptive. Programmes aimed at increasing contraceptive prevalence in Nigeria should be region-specific to take care of contextual challenges.