Ethnic Differencials In Fertility Behaviour In Nigeria

ABSTRACT

Many scholars in Nigeria have examined a wide range of topics on fertility though mostly at

local geographical areas. These include trends of fertility behaviour (Van De Walle, 1965

among others), determinants and differentials, adolescents' reproductive health in southsouth.

This study examined ethnicity differential and fertility behaviour among women in

Nigeria, the independent variables such as women- age, religion, level of education, wealth

index, occupation by ethnicity and fertility behaviour were selected using NDHS 2013 data

set. The analysis of the study was done in line with the research questions and hypothesis

raised for this project work. All the research questions were analysed using simple percentage

while the hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The Pearson Chi-square and

PoissonRegression statistical techniques were employed for data analysis.The findings from

the study disclosed that there is ethnicity differential in fertility behaviour of respondents;

Hausa/Fulani has the highest fertility behaviour with average total children ever born of 4

children while the ethnic group with lowest average children ever born children happen to be

from Yoruba with 2 children. It was found that most of the respondents in Yoruba ethnic

group used contraceptives than other groups. While 34.8% of Yoruba ethnic group uses

contraceptives, 98% of Hausa/Fulani women do not used and 28.5% used contraceptives

among Tgbo women. The result therefore shows that contraceptive use has effect on fertility

behaviour of women across the ethnic group. Other determinant factors that were

significantly related to fertility behaviour of women by ethnic groups were wealth index,

occupation, religion, educational attainment of the mother. This study therefore suggested

improvement on mothers orientation on high fertility in each ethnic group,

especially in Hausa/Fulani in order to enhance the ethnic group in achieving

sustainable development goal number two- zero hunger. By providing basic

education programs, media jingles should be used to discourage high family size, Mothers

should be made to realized that the risk in high fertility focus more on them than their

husbands. Thus be encouraged to use family planning to safe their life and children.