PIP:
Nigeria has launched its 1st population policy, reflecting new approval on the part of policymakers of national efforts to curb population growth. Specifically, the policy seeks to reduce fertility from the present level of 6 children/family to an average of 4 children/family, suggests an optimum marriage age of 18 years for women and 24 years for men, and advocates that pregnancies be restricted to the 18-35-year range and at intervals of 2 years. US$100 million has been allocated for a national family planning program, $67 million of which is being provided by the US Agency for International Development (AID). The Nigeria program is AID's largest population program in Africa. Most of the funds will be used to bring family planning services to government-sponsored maternal-child health programs and for public education through the mass media, particularly radio. Without such an effort, Nigeria's population could be expected to double to 160 million by the year 2000.