Abuja: Every month at the Primary Health Care Centre in Ugbor, Oredo Local Government Area, Edo State, in southern Nigeria, mothers gather with their babies for routine immunization and growth monitoring services. Among them is Mrs. Shegu Ritawaits, who arrived one morning with her eight-month-old child expecting a routine clinic visit.
According to African Press Organization, that day, the interaction went beyond immunization. Alongside routine checks, a health worker demonstrated how simple activities such as talking, singing, playing, smiling, and responding to a baby’s cues can support learning and development during the earliest years of life. “I did not know that talking and playing with my baby could help her learn,” said Mrs. Shegu. “Now I try to do it every day, even when I am cooking or washing clothes.”
The early years of life are a critical period for brain development and lay the foundation for lifelong learning, health, and productivity. Nurturing care during this period helps children develop the cognitive, language, motor, social, and emotional skills they need to thrive. However, poor developmental outcomes continue to affect an estimated two-thirds of children in sub-Saharan Africa, underscoring the need for stronger support for caregivers and young children.
Investments in nurturing care, including health, nutrition, responsive caregiving, early learning, and child protection, are essential to ensure that Nigerian children survive, thrive, and reach their developmental potential. Despite progress, millions of young children remain at risk of developmental delay due to preventable social, economic, and health-related factors.
This was the focus of discussions during a World Health Organization (WHO)-convened high-level panel on nurturing care at the Africa Primary Health Care Forum (APHCF) 2026 in Abuja. A total of 513 participants from six countries attended the forum. Participants agreed that primary health care is one of the most effective platforms for delivering nurturing care services to pregnant women, caregivers, infants, and young children, while facilitating collaboration with other sectors for coordinated action.
While policy discussions continue at the national level, experiences from Osun State illustrate how developmental support can be embedded within health systems. A partnership between the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex (OAUTHC) and the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), UK, and founded under the Global Health Workforce Programme, is strengthening the early identification and referral of children with developmental delays and disabilities. The initiative has trained 278 frontline health workers and established referral pathways linking primary health care centers with specialist services.
According to Dr. Oluwatosin Olorunmoteni, consultant paediatric neurologist at OAUTHC and co-lead of the partnership, earlier identification is beginning to improve referrals. “With this intervention, children below one year are referred, and for some less than six months.” Health workers involved in the program also report greater confidence in assessing children and making appropriate referrals.
The Osun State initiative also supports families through Baby Ubuntu caregiver groups, which provide opportunities for caregivers of children with developmental disabilities to share experiences, receive peer support, and learn how to encourage their child’s development. Since they were established, the groups have reached many caregivers.
WHO’s role in Nigeria is to provide technical leadership, convene stakeholders, and support multisectoral dialogue on nurturing care and early childhood development. Through APHCF 2026, supported by the European Union funded project SPIN, WHO brought together government leaders, development partners, researchers, health professionals, and regional networks to examine how nurturing care can be integrated into existing primary health care services.
WHO continues to advocate for evidence-based approaches that strengthen health systems and improve child development outcomes through coordinated action across sectors. “Nurturing care for early childhood development is not an extra task for the health system,” said Dr. Joy Ufere, WHO Technical Officer. “It is a core component of quality care for every child, delivered through integrated multisectoral action.”
As policymakers and partners consider recommendations emerging from APHCF 2026, the focus will be on expanding such evidence-based approaches, strengthening coordination across sectors, mobilizing sustainable investment, and ensuring that more children can access the support they need for healthy growth and development.