Caring Africa has urged the federal and state governments to start implementing Nigeria’s newly authorised National Care Policy and Implementation Plan, 2026-2030.
The organisation, which served as a technical companion to the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development in growing the policy, mentioned its approval is simply the start of efforts to determine a national system for childcare, aged care and different types of paid and unpaid care.
The Federal Executive Council, presided over by President Bola Tinubu, authorised the policy on Wednesday alongside the National Action Plan on Ending Violence Against Children and the National Policy on Menstrual Health and Hygiene Management, 2026-2030.
The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, announced the approvals at a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday to mark the twenty sixth anniversary of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security.
According to the ministry, the National Care Policy recognises unpaid care work, promotes regulated childcare and aged care companies, units minimal requirements for care centres and offers for a National Care Fund.
States’ adoption of policy
Blessing Adesiyan, founder and Chief Care Officer of Caring Africa, mentioned the following stage needs to be to cultivate the policy throughout Nigeria.
Ms Adesiyan mentioned care companies reminiscent of well being, schooling and social welfare are delivered considerably at state stage, making adoption of the policy by the 36 states necessary to its implementation.
“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 mentioned.
Ms Adesiyan referred to as for the policy to be taken throughout the six geopolitical zones and adopted by the states.
Nigeria joins international locations which have adopted national care insurance policies. Brazil enacted its National Care Policy in 2024, adopted by a funded national plan, whereas Chile signed its Chile Cuida care system into legislation in 2026.
Kenya has additionally launched a national care policy and is implementing it at county stage, whereas UN Women helps greater than 50 international locations in growing national care methods.
What the policy offers
The policy is constructed round 11 pillars masking unpaid care work, care infrastructure, maternal and new child care, childcare, ageing and aged care, incapacity care, the care workforce, regulation of the care economic system, care financing and employer-supported care.
Under the childcare part, the framework offers for a tiered licensing system for childcare amenities, minimal requirements on area, employees ratios, security, hygiene and vitamin, in addition to a national register for childcare staff.
It additionally proposes a pathway for casual crèches to satisfy regulatory necessities somewhat than merely being excluded from the system.
For care staff, the policy proposes defining care work as a proper occupation below Nigerian labour legislation, with coaching and certification pathways and a national caregiver database. It additionally proposes a minimal wage flooring for care staff, medical health insurance and pension entry.
The framework additionally proposes a devoted care line within the federal finances and a National Care Fund to pool public, company and improvement financing for care companies.
Burden of unpaid care
Caring Africa cited knowledge exhibiting that ladies and women carry out about 80 per cent of unpaid care work in Nigeria, together with childcare, cooking, cleansing and caring for sick or aged kin.
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The organisation additionally cited estimates that Nigerian ladies spend about 4.3 hours a day on unpaid care work, in contrast with 1.12 hours for males.
It mentioned solely about 5 per cent of Nigerian youngsters aged zero to 2 are enrolled in licensed childcare.
The National Bureau of Statistics estimates that formalising the care economic system may create 17 million jobs, whereas analysis by Economist Impact signifies that accessible and high quality childcare may allow 1.7 million extra Nigerian moms to enter the workforce by 2030.
Ms Adesiyan mentioned the policy would additionally present a framework for employers to help staff with caregiving obligations via measures reminiscent of paid go away and employer-supported care.
She mentioned the policy’s provisions on maternal and new child care would lengthen help into the postpartum interval, whereas its broader framework covers ageing, incapacity and care inside households.
“The stress of sustained caregiving carries a real physical health cost, which we rarely count. This policy is the first instrument we have that touches it,” she famous.
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