Caring Africa Welcomes Approval of Nigeria’s First National Care Policy, Calls for Nationwide Implementation

Caring Africa has welcomed the Federal Government’s approval of Nigeria’s first National Care Policy and Implementation Plan, 2026–2030, describing it as an important step towards recognising unpaid care work, strengthening childcare services and creating economic opportunities within the care sector.

Approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC), the policy establishes a national framework for childcare, elderly care, disability inclusion, caregiver protection and investment in care-related businesses.

The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, announced the approval during a press briefing in Abuja marking the 26th anniversary of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security. The policy was approved alongside the National Action Plan on Ending Violence Against Children and the National Policy on Menstrual Health and Hygiene Management, 2026–2030.

Caring Africa, which served as a technical partner to the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development during the policy’s development, said the framework represents a significant shift in how Nigeria recognises and supports caregiving responsibilities, particularly those largely undertaken by women.

The policy is built around 11 pillars and includes provisions for recognising care work as a formal occupation, establishing caregiver certification pathways and creating a national register of care workers. It also proposes extending social protection to caregivers, including access to health insurance and pensions.

For childcare providers, the framework introduces tiered licensing and minimum standards covering facilities, staffing ratios, safeguarding, hygiene and nutrition. It also provides a pathway for informal childcare businesses to meet regulatory requirements and proposes subsidies to improve access to quality childcare for low-income households.

Beyond childcare, the policy addresses maternal and newborn care, postpartum support, ageing, disability inclusion, employer-supported care services and sustainable financing. Its implementation plan identifies responsible ministries, performance indicators and delivery timelines through 2030.

Reacting to the approval, Blessing Adesiyan, Founder and Chief Care Officer of Caring Africa, said the policy provides an opportunity to address longstanding gaps in the care economy and improve recognition and protection for caregivers and care businesses.

“Nigeria has never lacked caregivers. What we have lacked is a system,” she said.

Adesiyan noted that Nigerian women spend an estimated 4.3 hours daily on unpaid care responsibilities, compared with 1.12 hours for men. She also highlighted that only about five per cent of children aged zero to two are enrolled in licensed childcare facilities, pointing to the need for more accessible and regulated services.

Research by Economist Impact suggests that improved access to quality childcare could enable an additional 1.7 million Nigerian mothers to participate in the workforce by 2030. Meanwhile, estimates cited by Caring Africa indicate that formalising the care economy could create as many as 17 million jobs.

According to Adesiyan, the policy could also open up opportunities for women-owned care businesses to gain formal recognition, access financing and attract investment. She commended the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development for advancing the policy but stressed that its approval must be followed by effective implementation.

She called for the policy to be adopted across Nigeria’s 36 states, noting that many essential services, including health, education and social welfare, are delivered at state level.

“Approval is the beginning rather than the end. Health, education and social welfare are delivered at state level in Nigeria. A federal policy that stays in Abuja will not change anything for a woman looking for childcare in Oshodi or caring for her mother in Sokoto,” she said.

Adesiyan added that domestication across the six geopolitical zones and adoption by state governments would determine whether the policy translates into practical improvements for families and caregivers.

Caring Africa said it would continue supporting efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s care economy through policy development, innovation and partnerships aimed at expanding access to quality care services.

The organisation described the next phase as critical to ensuring that the policy moves beyond government approval to deliver tangible benefits for caregivers, children, older persons, people with disabilities and women seeking greater opportunities to participate in the economy.