Edo NAWOJ urges support for elderly care

Nigeria's demographic landscape is undergoing a significant transformation that European investors have largely overlooked. The Edo State chapter of the Nigerian Association of Women Journalists recently highlighted a critical gap in elderly care infrastructure, a issue that extends far beyond regional journalism advocacy and represents a substantial market opportunity across West Africa's largest economy. Nigeria's population is aging rapidly. While the country maintains a relatively young median age of 18.6 years, absolute numbers tell a different story: approximately 12 million Nigerians are currently aged 60 and above, with projections suggesting this will reach 20 million by 2030. This demographic shift, driven by improving healthcare access and declining fertility rates, has created a care vacuum that neither government nor private sector has adequately addressed. The current elderly care system in Nigeria remains fragmented and underdeveloped. Government social welfare programs are underfunded and poorly coordinated, while formal private care facilities are concentrated in Lagos and a handful of major urban centers. In states like Edo—Nigeria's fourth-largest state by population—elderly citizens predominantly rely on informal family structures, often placing unsustainable burdens on working-age relatives who are themselves economically constrained. For European investors, this represents a multifaceted opportunity. The elderly care market in Nigeria