Critical blood shortage: Nigeria meets only 38% of annual demand, Haima health initiative reveals

On World Blood Donor Day 2025, the Haima Health Initiative, a non-governmental organization, highlighted a critical deficit in Nigeria’s blood supply, stating that the nation requires approximately 1.7 million pints of blood annually but manages to meet only 38 per cent of this crucial demand.

This significant shortfall is a contributing factor to preventable deaths and health crises across the country.

Bukola Bolarinwa, the founder of Haima Health Initiative, announced the theme for World Blood Donor Day 2025 as “Give Blood, Give Hope, Together We Save Lives” in a statement released to journalists in Abuja.

According to the statement, many Nigerians currently face the distressing reality of loved ones in hospitals needing blood that is simply unavailable.

This critical need spans various patient groups, including women in labor, anaemic children, accident victims, and sickle cell patients.

The scarcity often forces patients’ families to desperately seek out donors, some of whom unfortunately charge exorbitant fees for their donations.

The need for blood is a daily, vital, and continuous requirement.

In a country meeting less than 40 per cent of its blood requirements, grassroots efforts like Haima Health Initiative are paramount.

Founded in 2016 and actively operating in Abuja, Lagos, and Kano, Haima Health offers an innovative mobile and web platform.

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This platform effectively connects voluntary donors with patients in real-time, featuring GPS mapping and emergency request alerts to ensure swift and efficient blood delivery.

Bolarinwa emphasized the urgency of the situation: “The urgency is clear. With Nigeria’s population surpassing 170 million, approximately 1.4 to 1.7 million pints of blood are needed annually—yet only about 38% of the demand is met.”

She added that Haima Health Initiative is actively working to close this gap, with over 4,000 patients having already received life-saving transfusions through the initiative’s dedicated volunteer network.