Abuja: The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to developing a National Care Policy aimed at unlocking women’s economic potential, reducing the burden of unpaid care work, and promoting inclusive national development. Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, Minister of Women Affairs, stated this at the National Care Sector Development Workshop on the Care Digital Platform and Draft National Care Policy Economy Summit in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Sulaiman-Ibrahim, represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Esuabana Nko-Asanye, said the initiative reflected Nigeria’s commitment to inclusive economic growth, social development, women’s economic empowerment, and the wellbeing of families and communities. She emphasized that women and girls continue to shoulder a disproportionate share of unpaid care and domestic responsibilities, which limits their opportunities in education, employment, entrepreneurship, leadership, and public life.
She highlighted the lack of affordable chil
dcare and other care services, forcing many women, especially those in poor and vulnerable households, to choose between earning an income and caring for their families. Sulaiman-Ibrahim stated that Nigeria cannot fully realize the productive potential of its women if millions remain constrained by unequal care responsibilities, framing it as an issue of economic efficiency, social justice, and national development.
The minister noted that Nigeria’s changing demographics, rapid urbanization, and evolving family structures had increased demand for childcare, healthcare, disability support, and elderly care services. She added that strengthening the care economy would expand early childhood development services, childcare centers, community and home-based care, while creating employment opportunities for young people, women entrepreneurs, cooperatives, social enterprises, and private-sector providers.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim described the care economy as an essential foundation of society that had remained undervalu
ed and underinvested despite its enormous contribution to human development and economic productivity. She stressed the need to recognize the economic value of unpaid caregivers and improve data collection to accurately measure unpaid care work and its contribution to Nigeria’s economy, emphasizing that caregivers deserve protection, dignity, and decent livelihoods.
She also underscored the importance of linking care policy and social protection to prevent families from falling into poverty due to caregiving responsibilities. She identified child benefits, cash transfers, disability support, maternity protection, and other family-support mechanisms as critical interventions to reduce the economic burden of care on vulnerable households.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to advancing policies and programs that strengthen early childhood development, childcare systems, care services, social protection, and women’s economic empowerment. She highlighted that building a sustainable care econo
my would require collaboration across government institutions, development partners, academia, civil society, and the private sector.
She urged stakeholders to use the summit to build partnerships, develop practical recommendations, and mobilize investments that would translate into measurable results. As the summit progresses, she expressed hope that it would mark a new chapter in Nigeria’s approach to care by placing it at the center of the national development agenda, ultimately building a Nigerian care economy that values people, supports families, creates decent work, empowers women, and leaves no one behind.