Nigeria Father Misses Birth Due to No Paternity Leave

Akaninyene Akpan was hundreds of kilometers away when his wife was wheeled into emergency surgery to deliver their first child. His employer denied his request for paternity leave, forcing him to stay in Lagos while his wife's uncle stepped in to hold his newborn and support his recovering wife.

The absence wasn't by choice. Nigeria currently offers no universal paternity leave policy, leaving private sector employers to decide whether fathers can be present for their children's births.

For Akpan, a teacher and football coach, the consequences went beyond missing a milestone. His wife returned home recovering from a cesarean section, advised to avoid strenuous activity but with no partner to help. She nearly slipped in the bathroom while trying to clean because she couldn't properly bend.

Unable to secure any work flexibility, Akpan eventually resigned after finishing his school's sports competition. The decision left his family without income for nearly a full term while he searched for new employment in Abuja.

But the financial strain wasn't the hardest part. Months later, Akpan noticed his child running excitedly to the man who was there during those crucial first weeks. "My child was first held by another man," he recalled.

Why This Inspires

Akpan's story is sparking important conversations about policy change in Nigeria. Health experts point out that the weeks after childbirth are critical for both mothers and newborns, with nearly half of all under-five deaths occurring in the first 28 days.

Nigeria currently provides 12 weeks of maternity leave, falling below international recommendations. More significantly, the absence of national paternity leave earned the country a zero out of 100 score in the World Bank's Women, Business and the Law report for supportive parenthood laws.

Maternal health advocate Halimat Jimoh, a professional midwife, explains that fathers often serve as a mother's primary support system during recovery. Their involvement reduces stress, allows proper rest, and helps with newborn care and household responsibilities.

The country faces staggering maternal health challenges, with approximately 75,000 women dying annually from pregnancy or childbirth complications. An estimated 262,000 babies die at birth each year.

Against this backdrop, advocates say parental leave isn't just a workplace benefit. It's a health intervention that could help families navigate one of life's most vulnerable periods.

Akpan now lives with his family and has returned to work, but the conversation his experience sparked continues growing, pushing Nigeria toward policies that keep families together when they need each other most.