Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said his government will focus on making life better for families and rely less on incentives to encourage citizens to have more babies, as the city-state grapples with a record-low fertility rate, according to Bloomberg.

Wong acknowledged the limits of government efforts to reverse falling birth rates, a challenge confronting countries around the world.

“Think about it less as procreation incentive,” the premier said at a Singapore Press Club dialogue on Monday. “Think more about what are the moves we can make to really make life better for families in Singapore.”

Singapore has been trying to reverse a decline in birth rate by handing out incentives including baby bonus cash gifts, expanded paternity leave and eased egg-freezing rules. Still, the island’s resident total fertility rate fell to a record low of 0.87 in 2025. Financial cost, the stress of raising children and having to manage work and family demands were common factors cited in family-planning decisions.

ALSO READ: Babies born to moms in their 40s rise in Singapore

The government in February said it will set up a ministerial task force to tackle this “existential challenge” and unveiled nearly S$7 billion ($5.4 billion) in marriage and parenthood initiatives. 

Singapore is also on track to becoming a superaged society this year where a fifth of its population are aged 65 and above, compounding concerns about the sustainability of its population.

Singapore joins other countries in facing a similar challenge. Japan’s fertility rate tumbled to a fresh low while France and Malaysia have also seen declining birth rates. 

South Korea saw its fertility rate rise for a second year in 2025 with their family-friendly policies. The uptick in South Korea, which has long struggled with having the world’s lowest birth rate, offers some hope that fertility trends can shift.

READ MORE: Singapore fertility rate posts ‘significant’ drop to record low

“We should have some humility,” Wong said. “It’s a global challenge. It’s happening everywhere in the world. No one has the answers for now.”

The prime minister said governments that have devoted substantial resources to encourage parenthood have yet to achieve lasting results, with any gains in birth rates often proving temporary.

With fertility rates unlikely to rebound sharply, Wong said the city-state remains open to immigration while carefully managing inflows. Singapore would also need to rely more heavily on technology and artificial intelligence to sustain productivity and economic growth, he added.