Survey data of adolescents’ sexual and reproductive health in selected local governments in southeast Nigeria

A cross-sectional survey of adolescents and heads of households was done in six urban and rural local government areas in Ebonyi state, Nigeria in August 2018. Modified cluster sampling technique was used to select households from which eligible adolescent boys and girls were recruited. This data article describes two datasets that, for the first time, expansively describe adolescents’ sexual and reproductive behaviors in Nigeria. The datasets include variables on adolescents’ demographic and socioeconomic characteristics; family relationships; sexual behaviors; awareness and use of contraceptives; access to sexual and reproductive health information and services; gender norms and ideology about adolescent sexuality; and potential strategies for reducing unwanted teenage pregnancies and unsafe abortions. This dataset would be useful to public health researchers and social scientists investigating drivers of adolescent sexual and reproductive behaviour, as well as programme managers seeking potential strategies for improving adolescent health outcomes. The datasets also provide a template that could be replicated for national or regional surveys on adolescent sexual and reproductive behaviours.