Health
NIC Unveils Initiative To Professionalise Caregiving In Nigeria
By Philip Yatai
The National Institute of Caregivers (NIC) has unveiled a national initiative, aimed at strengthening professional caregiving in the country.
The Director-General of the institute, Mr Olusan Victor, who disclosed this in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday, welcomed the Federal Government’s growing focus on Nigeria’s care economy.
Victor said that the institute’s announcement comes at a significant moment for Nigeria’s social-development agenda.
He recalled that in February 2026, President Bola Tinubu declared 2026 the “Year of Social Development and Families in Nigeria”.
He added that Tinubu also directed coordinated action across all levels of government, placing families, women and social development at the centre of national development.
He further recalled that in May, the Federal Government, through the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, also declared care economy a national priority, during the 2026 National Caregivers Summit in Abuja.
“The Federal Government also announced plans for nationwide training and certification initiatives in childcare, geriatric care, special-needs support and community caregiving services.
“It equally highlighted the growing need for sustainable caregiving structures as Nigeria’s population and social needs change,” he said.
Victor said the NIC believes these developments represent an important opportunity for Nigeria to build a more coordinated and professional caregiving ecosystem.
He said that the NIC is positioning itself to contribute to this emerging national agenda by bringing together professional education, competency development, care standards, research, public awareness and stakeholder engagement.
“NIC welcomes the Federal Government’s recognition of the care economy as an important part of national development.
“We believe this is the right time for Nigeria to move from simply discussing caregiving to deliberately building the professional infrastructure that the sector requires.”
According to him, professionalising caregiving is not only about training people to provide care, it also requires appropriate standards, ethical practice, practical experience and continuing professional development.
“It equally requires safeguarding, quality assurance, accountability and systems that promote confidence among families and care recipients.
“As part of renewed national engagement, the NIC will focus on four interconnected areas, namely professional caregiver development; care standard and quality; research, advocacy and policy; public awareness and stakeholder engagement.”
The D-G stressed that the institute believes that the development of a professional caregiving sector has implications far beyond healthcare, adding that a stronger care economy could contribute to employment and skills development.
He added that the care economy could also support families, create opportunities for women and young people and improve the quality of support available to older persons and vulnerable populations.
This, according to him, will strengthen the social infrastructure on which productive communities depend.
“The institute, therefore, believes that the emerging Federal Government’s agenda should be supported by coordinated action across government, education, healthcare, the private sector, civil society and professional organisations.
“Government cannot build the care economy alone, and neither can any individual organisation.
“Government has an essential role in policy and institutional development. Educational institutions contribute knowledge and workforce development. Healthcare and care providers contribute practice.
“The private sector and development partners can contribute investment, innovation and scale, while professional institutions can contribute standards, training and technical expertise.”
“NIC intends to be part of that national ecosystem,” he said. (NAN)
Edited by Sadiya Hamza