Exploring improvements in adolescent healthcare for vulnerable populations in Nigeria using nominal group technique among key stakeholders.

Background: Adolescent health is central to sustainable development, yet adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW), remain disproportionately vulnerable to poor health outcomes. In Nigeria, AGYW remain at heightened risk of poor health outcomes due to socio-economic, cultural, and gender-based factors. Despite several interventions, adolescent’s engagement with healthcare remains suboptimal. This study aims to identify healthcare priorities for vulnerable adolescents in Nigeria using the Nominal Group Technique (NGT). Method: ology We applied a modified Nominal Group Technique (NGT) during the 2024 Scientific Roundtable Series (SRS) hosted by the Centre for Integrated Health Programs (CIHP), Nigeria. Forty-six participants (23 male, 23 female) representing vulnerable adolescents, healthcare providers, policymakers, and community stakeholders participated. Stakeholders were divided into four groups and guided through a structured four-stage NGT process: silent generation of ideas, round robin, clarification, discussion, and voting/ranking. Data was analyzed using a mixed methods approach, including thematic analysis and sentiment scoring. Results: Participants generated 265 barriers-related ideas, 250 strategy and 240 sustainability ideas to adolescent health. Top barriers identified were socio-cultural norms, poverty, and stigma. Strategies prioritized included stakeholder engagement, awareness and sensitization, and capacity building. Sustainability factors emphasized advocacy, education, and youth-friendly policies. Sentiment analysis revealed predominantly negative sentiments for barriers (–0.41) but strong positive sentiments for sustainability (+0.82), highlighting a collective desire for long-lasting interventions. Conclusion: Findings highlights the value of consensus-building methods in surfacing diverse perspectives on adolescent health and the need for holistic, sustainable interventions to improve adolescent health in Nigeria. Addressing socio-cultural barriers, engaging stakeholders, and ensuring the sustainability of interventions are essential for achieving better health outcomes for vulnerable adolescents. The findings provide valuable insights for policymakers and healthcare providers to develop effective, evidence-based strategies for adolescent health in Nigeria.