NIC Welcomes FG’s Care Economy Agenda, Launches National Initiative to Professionalise Caregiving in Nigeria
By Suleiman Abubakar Rimi Uku
The National Institute of Caregivers (NIC) has welcomed the Federal Government’s growing focus on Nigeria’s care economy and announced a renewed national initiative aimed at strengthening professional caregiving through education, standards, research, advocacy and stakeholder collaboration.
The initiative comes at a time when the Federal Government is placing greater emphasis on social development, family welfare and the professionalisation of caregiving.
In February 2026, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu declared 2026 the “Year of Social Development and Families in Nigeria,” directing coordinated action across levels of government and placing families, women and social development at the centre of the national development agenda.
Similarly, in May 2026, the Federal Government, through the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, declared the care economy a national priority during the 2026 National Caregivers Summit in Abuja.
The Minister described caregiving as an important component of Nigeria’s social infrastructure and called for its transformation from an overlooked domestic responsibility into a recognised professional sector capable of contributing to economic growth, social stability and inclusive development.
The Federal Government also announced plans for nationwide training and certification programmes covering childcare, geriatric care, special-needs support and community caregiving services.
NIC to Strengthen Professional Caregiving.
The National Institute of Caregivers said the emerging Federal Government agenda presents an important opportunity to build a coordinated and professional caregiving ecosystem in Nigeria.
The Institute said it would contribute to the national conversation through professional education, competency development, care standards, research, public awareness and stakeholder engagement.
Speaking on the development, Director-General of the National Institute of Caregivers, Mr. Olusan Victor, welcomed the Federal Government’s recognition of the care economy as an important component of national development.
According to a press statement signed and issued by Afolayan Olatunji Joel, Executive Director, Programmes and Strategic Development, NIC, the Director-General said the time had come for Nigeria to move beyond discussions about caregiving and begin building the professional infrastructure required to support the sector.
He stressed that professionalising caregiving goes beyond training individuals to provide care, noting that it also requires appropriate standards, ethical practice, practical experience, continuing professional development, safeguarding, quality assurance and accountability.
Four Key Areas of Focus
As part of its renewed national engagement, NIC said its programme would focus on four major areas:
1. Professional Caregiver Development:
The Institute will strengthen caregiver education, competency development, practical training, certification, internship opportunities and continuing professional development.
2. Care Standards and Quality:
NIC will contribute to professional practice frameworks, caregiver ethics, safeguarding principles and quality standards designed to improve care in homes, communities and care facilities.
3. Research, Advocacy and Policy:
The Institute will promote research and evidence on Nigeria’s caregiving workforce and the emerging care economy while engaging policymakers, professional institutions and other stakeholders on appropriate policies and systems.
4. Public Awareness and Stakeholder Engagement:
NIC will expand public conversations through media engagements, radio and television programmes, webinars, stakeholder forums and educational campaigns aimed at improving understanding of professional caregiving and its importance to Nigerian families.
Care Economy Presents National Opportunity
NIC said the development of a professional caregiving sector has implications beyond healthcare, noting that a stronger care economy could create employment and skills-development opportunities while supporting families, women, young people, older persons and vulnerable populations.
The Institute therefore called for coordinated action involving government, educational institutions, healthcare providers, the private sector, civil society and professional organisations.
According to the Director-General, government alone cannot build the care economy.
He said government has an essential role in policy and institutional development, while educational institutions, healthcare providers, the private sector, development partners and professional institutions each have important roles to play in workforce development, investment, innovation, standards and technical expertise.
“NIC intends to be part of that national ecosystem,” he said.
NIC Unveils National Care Agenda 2027.
The Institute disclosed that it is currently developing its National Care Agenda 2027, a strategic programme designed to support the continued development of professional caregiving in Nigeria.
The agenda will focus on professional caregiver development, care standards and quality, research and evidence, policy and stakeholder engagement, public awareness, institutional partnerships, caregiver career development, as well as innovation and digital systems for the caregiving sector.
NIC said it would use the remainder of 2026 to commence public conversations, stakeholder engagements, professional development activities and knowledge initiatives as a foundation for a broader programme in 2027.
The Institute also plans to engage government institutions, universities, healthcare organisations, care facilities, development partners, foundations, corporate organisations, media organisations and other stakeholders interested in strengthening Nigeria’s caregiving ecosystem.
NIC Invites Stakeholders to Partner.
The National Institute of Caregivers has invited organisations and individuals who share its vision to collaborate in areas including caregiver education and professional development, research and data, care standards, public awareness, community programmes, institutional capacity development, technology and digital innovation, policy dialogue, sponsorship and donor-supported programmes.
The Institute said Nigeria now has an opportunity to move from fragmented conversations about caregiving towards a coordinated national approach.
“We are not asking any single institution to carry this responsibility.
We are inviting stakeholders to build it together,” the Director-General said.
He added that every Nigerian would either need care, provide care or support someone who does, stressing the need to establish professional systems that make care safer, more dignified, accountable and sustainable.
NIC reaffirmed its commitment to contributing to the development of a competent, ethical and accountable caregiving workforce and a stronger caregiving ecosystem in Nigeria.
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