NSCC HOLDS MAIDEN DIALOGUE ON ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES IN AGING CARE AND DIGITAL INCLUSION
Maryam Aminu
The National Senior Citizen Centre on Wednesday 27th October, 2021 in Abuja held its maiden roundtable dialogue with private sectors to discuss issues of investment, economic development opportunities in aging care and digital inclusion to increase national development and service delivery of senior citizens.
In her welcome address, the Director General, Emem Omokaro PH.D noted that the round table is intended, both as a major stakeholder consultation with the Private sector, which output, would inform the on -going National Senior Citizens Centre 10-year strategic plan and, to be informed about NSCC’s Act, mandate, and main domains as well as to engage a transformative dialogue on opportunities for investments in meeting identified challenges of senior citizens.
“In signing the National Policy on Ageing, the signing into law of National Senior Centre Bill and establishment of the National Senior Citizens Center, the government of His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, has ensured, that the very essential institutions, systems and mechanisms to facilitate the quality of life, economic and social participation of older persons are guaranteed and that the challenges of older persons will be looked upon.
“These bold actions have enabled Nigeria’s institutional capacities to
embark on concrete frameworks, procedures and mechanisms to
mainstream ageing and, issues of senior citizens into multi sector plans.
NSCC’s impetus in inviting the private sector partnership, stems from
these bold steps.
With a median age of the population presently about 17.9 years, Nigeria’s
population like most countries in Africa is very young, and population
ageing could be seen by investors in Africa and Nigeria as predominantly
about the growth of the working age population and investment in
demographic dividend from the young.
The scale of the jobs challenge is huge, and will require rapid and
sustained economic growth over decades, as well as complementary
policies in areas such as education, health, infrastructure development,
urban planning, etc. However, in spite of the huge youth population, older
persons are growing in absolute numbers at a sensual rate of 3.2%. The
estimated population of older persons as disaggregated from the latest
Nigeria Living Standard Survey is 14.8 million (NBS NLSS 2019). In their
diversity, older persons Continue to contribute.
Jobs challenge of unprecedented scale in Nigeria, makes it imperative to
seek innovative ideas and transformative pathways to see opportunities
for job creation and economic development in intergenerational
Community ecosystems” The DG explained.
She also noted that ‘Challenges and Opportunities in Ageing and Care of Older Persons’, are multi-disciplinary and multi-sectoral, adding that the care domains and services fall
within many mandates, responsibility to care for the Older Persons falls
to all stakeholders and the willingness and capacity of each stakeholder
to invest in the care for older persons becomes an ACT of decision making.
This Round Table has participants from relevant sectors; Health services,
Pharmaceutical and Insurance companies, Financial Institutions, Pension Fund Administrators, Social Security, Education, Housing, Marketing,
Advertising and Brand Development, Communications, Transportation
and Aviation, Environment, Philanthropic Organizations, Labour
Organizations, Media, and older persons themselves, MDAs and the Diplomatic Corps.
