Stepping into the vibrant Lagos Capital Club on a bustling Wednesday evening, the room was abuzz with individuals from diverse backgrounds, all united by a singular passion: revolutionizing Nigeria’s care system.
Everyone in the room had an experience to share showing that care is not just a necessity, but the backbone of strong families, workplaces, and nations. Despite the crucial role caregivers play in nurturing loved ones, managing households, and supporting communities, the care industry remains woefully undervalued and overlooked in Nigeria.
In a bid to change this narrative, policymakers, employers, caregivers, civil society leaders, and members of the public, all converged to spotlight the importance of care and to drive meaningful change.
As they gathered under the banner of #StartWithCare, it was clear that this was more than just a campaign – it was a call to action to recognize, support, and celebrate the care industry, and to build a system that truly values the people who care for us all.
In a bid to commemorate the International Day of Care and Support on October 29, as proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly, Caring Africa launched #StartWithCare, a nationwide activation calling for urgent recognition of care as the foundation of strong families, resilient economies, and inclusive national development.
Under the theme ‘Strong Families, Workplaces, Nations — Start with Care,’ the campaign brought together stakeholders to spotlight the often-invisible labor of caregiving—both paid and unpaid—and to drive meaningful investment in Nigeria’s care infrastructure.
Blessing Adesiyan, Founder of Caring Africa said, “this is not just about recognizing care; it’s about redesigning systems around it. From child and elder care to paid family leave and domestic work protections, we must treat care as infrastructure.”
Adesiyan stressed that care is what runs the economy before the economy even wakes up every morning.
“Think about it: before any worker leaves home, there’s a mother or father who wakes up early, walks into their child’s room, wakes them, brushes their teeth, ties their shoelaces, packs their lunch, and remembers their snacks, because if you forget the snacks, you’ll get a call from school later that disrupts your workday. That’s the ripple effect of care, invisible, undervalued, but essential,” she explained.
She said care work is often unpaid or underpaid, which must change,
According to her, from cooking and caregiving, to parenting and healthcare; these are vital contributions that deserve recognition, value, and reward.
“When I think about Nigeria’s future, I think about children. I think about my dad who is no longer here. I think of the millions of children born each year into families doing their best to nurture them.
“I also think about our elders — those who built this nation with their hands and sacrificed so much, yet are now growing old in a society that hasn’t built adequate care systems for them. That’s our reality as a country,” Adesiyan said.
She said as Nigeria gets on track to become the third most populous country in the world, care is needed everywhere. Yet, support for caregivers is almost nonexistent.
“Every working mother rushing through traffic to pick up her child, every father trying to navigate a late meeting and his newborn’s cry, every nurse, teacher, or grandparent holding things together, they are the invisible backbone of our survival.
“But the truth is, too many are doing it alone, without structure, protection, or investment. Still, we talk about growth, GDP, and productivity, while ignoring the first and most important driver of all: care,” she explained.
She noted that if Nigeria truly wants to be prosperous, it must start by acknowledging that care is not just personal, but a national priority.
She hinted that private lives are public lives, and public lives are private lives and what happens in the homes shapes what happens in the economy.
Adesiyan stressed that Nigeria must become a nation where families have the care and warmth they need; where companies design policies that make space for real life; where government treats care as national infrastructure.
“Childcare, paid leave, elder care, these are the building blocks of a nation that truly values its people. Policymakers must invest in systems that make care affordable, accessible, and dignified,” she added.
Mobolaji Ogunlende, Commissioner, Ministry of Youth and Social Development, Lagos State during his keynote address said care is not sentimental or secondary; it is the foundation of the country’s economy, the very infrastructure that supports cities and national development.
“Many of us, especially when we work in the private sector, tend to ignore the government. I used to be like that, I had no business with government matters. But since crossing over into public service, I’ve realized just how critical and important the government’s role truly is. And I’m glad our “blessing” has decided to hold us as partners on this journey.
“Today, we celebrate those who dedicate their time, skills, and hearts to caring for children, the elderly, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups. Caring for the vulnerable is not just a moral imperative; it is the foundation of social progress and sustainable development,” Ogunlende said.
He said around the world, governments are waking up to the value of the care economy, that vast and essential system of services, workers, and relationships that sustain children, elders, and everyone at different stages of life.
“At the Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development, we play a vital role in care, protection, and empowerment for vulnerable people.
“Many Lagos residents may not know much about our THEMES Plus Agenda, perhaps because they think government doesn’t concern them. But those of us in government are intentional about driving inclusion and social welfare.
“In the first administration, the THEMES Agenda focused on Transportation, Health, Education, and Making Lagos a 21st-Century Economy, with Security and Environment as key pillars. In this second administration, we introduced the “Plus” emphasising Social Inclusion, Gender Equality, and Youth Development.
“These are not just words on paper. We provide direct services to vulnerable people, support families, care for children, and assist the elderly. We also offer psychosocial support to help reintegrate vulnerable people into society,” the commissioner assured.
He said Lagos manages over 15 homes and institutions — including correctional facilities and elderly care homes, adding that there’s room for improvement.
“Care is the new oil. Not everyone will see its value immediately, but those who do and invest in it will reap its benefits,” he said.
Ayodele Renner, Consultant pediatrician and a member of the Creative Care Council said when it comes to the disproportionate burden of care in this part of the world, particularly on women, there is the immediate and obvious risk of burnout in the short term.
Burnout, he said can present in various ways, including exhaustion, acute medical conditions, increased anxiety about various things, whether it’s finances or the safety of their children or the people they are caring for.
Renner said in the long term, it can lead to things like insomnia, poor sleep, difficulty processing information.
Renner noted that with provision of care, women can avoid a lot of these challenging medical conditions that can affect their productivity in the long term.
Toyosi Etim-Effiong, chairperson, Creative Care Council and Founder/CEO of That Good Media said the Creative Care Council was put together to leverage the collective influence of all the council members who are feom different spheres of the creative industry.
“Our role is to amplify the importance of formalising caregiving and acknowledging caregivers.
“Strong nations start with care. It means that care is the foundation of everything that we’re doing or everything that we have even done so far. There will be more productivity if care was taken more seriously and if formalising the care sector had been done a long time ago,” Etim-Effiong said.
As part of the #StartWithCare movement, Caring Africa rolled out a series of initiatives including the launch of the Creative Care Council, a collective of visionaries and storytellers reimagining the narrative of care through culture, media, and the arts; the premiere of “Strong Nations Start with Care,” a moving documentary exploring caregiving experiences across Nigeria; the debut of the Caring Blocks digital platform connecting Nigerians to trusted childcare, eldercare, and community services; and the StartWithCare Roundtable, convening policymakers, corporate leaders, and grassroots voices to discuss care as a driver of economic growth and gender equity.
The campaign also honored 10 exemplary employers through the Caring Workplace Awards, recognizing organizations leading the way in paid leave, childcare support, and family-friendly work policies.
Among this year’s honorees include Providus Bank, Bank Of Industry, Interswitch, MTN, and Nigerian Breweries celebrated for their leadership in promoting inclusive, care-centered workplace practices.
Caring Africa and its coalition of partners including the Lagos State Ministry of Youth And Social Development, the Lagos State Resident Registration Agency, Lagos State Safety Commission, Bella Naija, Leading Ladies Africa, Gatefield, WIMBIZ, WILAN, WISCAR, the Nigerian Governors Forum are urging public and private sector leaders, and the Nigerian public to push for a national care policy,
recognize and value unpaid care work and invest in family-friendly workplace practices.
