Nigeria is struggling to meet its growing demand for safe blood, raising concerns about access to life-saving transfusions across the country.
The National Blood Service Agency (NBSA) said its centres collected only between 24,000 and 25,000 units in 2025. The figure falls far below the country’s estimated annual requirement of 1.8 million to two million units.
The agency called for increased voluntary blood donations to close the gap and reduce the pressure on families who often have to find donors during medical emergencies.
Nigeria needs more voluntary blood donors
The Director-General of the NBSA, Prof. Saleh Yuguda, disclosed the figures through the agency’s Head of Operations Centre, Dr Aliyu Dahiru Waziri.
They spoke at a media roundtable on voluntary blood donation organised by the NBSA and the International Society of Media in Public Health.
Yuguda identified inadequate voluntary donations as a major obstacle to building sufficient national blood reserves.
He said the country needed at least two per cent of its population to donate blood to improve availability.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that Nigeria requires between 1.8 million and two million units annually.
Its June 2026 report also cited National Blood Service Commission figures showing that the country collected 371,827 units in 2024.
Voluntary donations increased from 12,568 in 2024 to 16,344 in 2025, according to the WHO data.
The organisation recommends at least 10 units of blood per 1,000 people annually. It also identifies voluntary, unpaid donors as the safest and most reliable source of blood.
Shortage threatens patients and emergency care
The shortage poses risks to women facing childbirth complications, accident victims and patients requiring emergency surgery.
Children with severe anaemia and people living with sickle cell disease or cancer also depend on timely access to safe blood.
The WHO estimates that postpartum haemorrhage accounts for between 23 and 30 per cent of maternal deaths in Nigeria.
This makes access to blood particularly important when women experience severe bleeding during childbirth.
Agency introduces digital blood tracking system
Waziri said the NBSA was strengthening its regulatory and monitoring systems to improve blood safety and distribution.
He disclosed that the agency was introducing the National Blood Management System, a digital platform for tracking donated blood.
The platform will monitor blood collection, processing, distribution and use. It will also help officials trace each unit from the donor to the recipient if complications occur.
Waziri said the agency was also tightening the registration and regulation of public and private blood banks.
He stressed that hospitals and blood transfusion facilities must register with the agency and comply with approved standards.
The NBSA is also expanding its hospital linkage programme. Under the arrangement, registered health facilities will submit their blood requirements to the agency.
This will help the agency forecast demand and organise distribution more effectively.
Waziri warned against collecting blood from agency centres in ordinary coolers without proper temperature control.
He said poor storage and transportation conditions could compromise the safety of donated blood.
The official also urged the government to make blood available free of charge. He argued that removing financial barriers would improve access for patients and encourage voluntary donations.
Journalists urged to tackle donation myths
Veteran journalist and health communication advocate, Moji Makanjuola, urged media organisations to intensify public education on blood donation.
She identified misinformation and cultural beliefs as major barriers to voluntary donations.
Some Nigerians wrongly believe that donating blood causes weakness, infertility, illness or permanent blood loss, she said.
Makanjuola urged journalists to provide accurate information about donor eligibility, approved donation centres and medical screening.
She also called for improved healthcare infrastructure, especially at primary healthcare facilities.
According to her, inadequate electricity and blood storage facilities could undermine access to safe blood.
She further urged media organisations to sustain donation campaigns throughout the year rather than wait for emergencies.
“Journalists should encourage people to become regular voluntary blood donors rather than donating only during emergencies. This helps to maintain a stable supply of safe blood in hospitals and blood banks,” she said.
Campaign targets misconceptions and family replacement donations
Another speaker, Isah, said Nigeria faced a 40 per cent shortfall in its required national blood reserves.
He linked the challenge partly to the country’s dependence on family replacement donations.
Under this arrangement, patients’ relatives must find donors when hospitals need blood for treatment.
Isah identified fear, misinformation and cultural beliefs as barriers to voluntary donation.
He cited misconceptions that women should not donate blood, that blood banks sell donated blood and that people could use donated blood for rituals.
The campaign will use radio dramas, jingles, infographics, television programmes and social media content to reach Nigerians.
Organisers also plan to translate campaign materials into local languages.
Meanwhile, the President of the Association of Nigerian Health Journalists, Joseph Kadiri, described voluntary blood donation as a humanitarian responsibility.
He said access to blood during emergencies should take priority over religious, ethnic and political differences.
Kadiri also reaffirmed the association’s commitment to public education on voluntary blood donation. He said the issue would feature at its annual health conference scheduled for November 26.
