Background/Objectives:
Fertility desires are high in Nigeria. But research suggests emerging interest in smaller families. This study explored how Nigerian men and women perceived the benefits of smaller (three or fewer children) versus larger (five or more children) families.
Materials and Methods:
Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 166 adult men and women with diverse characteristics from six states (Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Gombe, Lagos, Nasarawa, and Sokoto) between September and December 2021. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and translated, as appropriate. Transcripts were coded using Dedoose, followed by thematic analysis.
Results:
The consensus was that smaller families were easier to manage than larger families. However, some felt that those with the means should have as many children as they desired. The benefits and burdens of having few or many children were described under three main themes: responsibilities, relationships and resources. Responsibilities included nurturing and training children (moral socialization and formal education) and were perceived to be easier to achieve with fewer children. Respondents also believed that building relationships and bonding with children individually is easier with fewer children. Building relationships requires time so the parent can be a friend, companion, mentor, and role model to each child. Almost all participants spoke about the need for sufficient economic resources to pay for children's feeding, clothing, education, healthcare, and other needs, noting this was more achievable with fewer children. Many talked about cost savings with fewer children, and less to spend on, allowing parents to save for their own retirement, invest in other things, and reduce their stress levels.
Conclusions:
Increasingly Nigerian men and woman see the value of smaller families over larger ones, especially because their responsibilities, relationships, and resources are easier to manage. Efforts to slow the rate of population growth should include education promoting quality of children over quantity.
