This study investigates the prevalence and determinants of contraceptive practice in Ile-Ife, Nigeria. A prospective study of 500 rural women in the reproductive age group was conducted between April to June 1999 in the Igboya health district of Ife central local government area of Osun State. A comprehensive contraceptive promotion and distribution had been carried out in this area by the University Teaching Hospital, the State Ministry of Health and many non-governmental organisations in the past 10 years. It is therefore expected that the contraceptive awareness and use in this environment would be high. Unfortunately, although all the respondents (100%) were aware of contraception and 78% were sexually active, only 18.8% used contraception. A majority of the non-users gave no reasons for failure to use contraception. Among reasons given by others include fear of side effects, no need for contraception, not married, religion, need for more children and student status. The most common contraceptive method among users was intrauterine contraceptive device followed by pills, condoms and injectable contraceptives. Factors which were significantly associated with utilisation of contraception were availability of family planning services, parity, knowledge of contraception and child spacing (P < 0.05). Religion, literacy level, attitudes of family planning providers and distance to family planning services were not found to be significant (P > 0.05). Recommendations that will improve wide contraceptive usage are preferred.