Imagine Mama Grace, a 72-year-old widow who once worked tirelessly as a farmer, raising her children and contributing to her community. Today, like many elders in Nigerian communities, she struggles to afford medication for her high blood pressure while most of her children have moved to the city in search of work. Once surrounded by family and respect, she now spends her days in loneliness, with little support and no reliable social security. Sadly, Mama Grace’s story is not unique—it reflects the harsh reality faced by countless senior citizens across Nigeria.
Growing old should be a blessing, a season to rest and enjoy the fruits of a lifetime of hard work. Yet for many elderly Nigerians, aging comes with economic hardship, health challenges, abandonment, and neglect. The traditional family support system that once protected our elders is weakening, leaving them vulnerable at a stage in life when they need care the most.
Elderly care in Nigeria is not just about meeting physical needs, it is about protecting human dignity, preserving cultural values, and recognizing the invaluable wisdom our elders bring to families and communities. In this blog, we’ll uncover the untold story of seniors in Nigerian communities, the struggles they face, why elderly care matters, the vital roles elders still play in society, and why action is urgently needed now. By the end, you’ll see that caring for our elders is not just a responsibility, but a reflection of the kind of society we want to build for ourselves and future generations.
The story of Mama Grace reminds us that aging in Nigeria often comes with struggles that go far beyond gray hair and slower steps. For many elderly citizens, the later years of life are overshadowed by poverty, ill health, and loneliness. These challenges can be grouped into four key areas:
For most seniors in Nigeria, retirement does not come with comfort, it comes with financial uncertainty. According to the National Library of Medicine, many older adults face poverty due to the sudden drop in income after retirement. Delayed or unpaid pensions make matters worse, leaving retirees unable to afford basic necessities like food, shelter, or medicine.
In rural communities, where many elders like Mama Grace live, the situation is even harsher. Without formal jobs or retirement benefits, they continue to work under physically demanding conditions, such as farming or petty trading, for meager earnings. Instead of resting after years of labor, they struggle daily just to survive.
Nigeria has policies on paper meant to protect older adults, such as the National Social Development Policy (1989), but implementation has been weak. As highlighted by the Nigerian Academic Journal, the country still lacks an effective social security system to provide consistent healthcare, housing, or legal assistance to seniors.
This means that elderly citizens often depend solely on family members, who themselves may be struggling financially. For widows like Mama Grace, who may not have reliable support from children or extended family, this absence of social protection creates a dangerous gap between survival and dignity.
Healthcare is another pressing issue. As people age, health costs rise, but financial resources usually decline. The University of Nebraska DigitalCommons notes that many elderly Nigerians cannot afford medical treatment, while access to healthcare facilities remains limited, especially in rural areas.
Mama Grace’s struggle to afford her blood pressure medication is a clear example. She represents countless elderly Nigerians who skip medical check-ups, reduce medication doses, or turn to unregulated alternatives simply because they lack the resources or access to proper healthcare. This neglect often leads to preventable complications, making aging far more painful than it should be.
Traditionally, Nigerian families valued and cared for their elders, but modernization and urban migration have weakened this cultural safety net. Many elderly citizens are left behind in rural villages while younger relatives move to cities. The SGOJAHDS Study reports growing cases of elder abuse, neglect, and emotional isolation in Nigerian communities.
For someone like Mama Grace, the absence of her children means long days of loneliness and declining mental health. Elders in similar situations often feel abandoned, leading to depression, diminished social status, and even abuse from those entrusted to care for them.
Elderly care in Nigeria is not only a moral duty but also a social necessity. Caring for our seniors strengthens society, upholds cultural values, and ensures that those who once carried our communities do not suffer in silence.
After a lifetime of work and sacrifice, every elder deserves respect and care. As a particular LinkedIn article rightly notes, caring for senior citizens is about restoring dignity to individuals who once built the very communities we live in today. Mama Grace deserves more than loneliness and poverty, she deserves recognition for her years of contribution.
With proper support, seniors can enjoy healthier and more independent lives. The EA Journals study shows that social support services, when available, help reduce loneliness, prevent rapid health decline, and allow elders to maintain independence for longer. Imagine if Mama Grace had access to regular health check-ups and affordable medication, her quality of life would be vastly improved.
Elders are not just dependents; they are the backbone of family life. According to the Nigerian Academic Journal, elderly people often provide wisdom, emotional support, and mentorship to younger generations. By caring for our elders, we strengthen intergenerational bonds and ensure that cultural values are passed down. When Mama Grace tells stories of resilience and tradition to her grandchildren, she nurtures the roots of identity that bind her family together.
In Nigerian and African culture, respect for elders is a deeply held value. Sadly, modernization is eroding this legacy. By prioritizing elderly care, we preserve not just individuals but also the cultural fabric of our society. To neglect our elders is to neglect our heritage.
While the struggles of the elderly in Nigeria are real, it is important to remember that our seniors are not merely dependents, they remain active contributors to society in ways that often go unnoticed. Their roles span wisdom-sharing, cultural preservation, economic support, and even community leadership.
Elders serve as keepers of cultural heritage, traditions, and history. As the University of Nebraska DigitalCommons points out, they play a central role in mentoring younger generations and offering valuable advice on community issues.
Take Baba Adewale, a retired schoolteacher in Osun State. Despite his small pension and declining health, families in his community still seek his guidance when conflicts arise. His wisdom, drawn from decades of teaching and living, makes him a trusted voice of reason. In a society where younger generations often face uncertainty, elders like him provide stability and moral direction.
Seniors are pillars of emotional support within families. The DigitalCommons study highlights how they act as peacemakers, counselors, and caregivers for grandchildren. In many households, grandmothers like Mama Grace continue to nurture, cook, and provide a sense of belonging to younger family members, even when they themselves are in need.
Contrary to the belief that older adults no longer contribute economically, many elders continue to work. According to the National Library of Medicine, seniors in rural Nigeria remain active in agriculture and informal businesses. Their labor sustains local economies and provides food security for households. For instance, Baba Adewale still tends to a small farm that supplies food not only for his family but also for neighbors who depend on his harvest.
As Nigeria’s elderly population grows, seniors have the potential to shape policies that address aging issues. Involving them in decision-making ensures that laws and programs reflect their real needs. Elders like Baba Adewale, who actively participates in local community meetings, are living proof that seniors remain valuable voices in building inclusive policies.
In short, the elderly are not just passive recipients of care, they are active, contributing members of society whose value should be recognized and celebrated.
Caring for Nigeria’s elderly is not only an act of compassion, it is a matter of justice, survival, and preparation for the future. With projections showing that Nigeria’s elderly population will triple by 2050, the time to act is now.
Without support, seniors face poverty, illness, and social isolation. As PMC research shows, many elderly people in Nigeria skip meals, forgo medical care, or live without adequate housing. Mama Grace’s struggle with untreated high blood pressure is one such example, but there are thousands like her across the country.
Every senior citizen has the right to live with dignity. The LinkedIn article on elder care emphasizes that helping the elderly is not charity, it is a matter of fairness and human rights. Seniors who spent their lives working, raising children, or contributing to the nation’s growth should not spend their last years in neglect.
Most care for the elderly in Nigeria still comes from family and community members. Yet these caregivers often lack financial resources or support. The African Journal of Social Work points out that strengthening support for these informal networks is key to sustainable elder care. If Baba Adewale’s daughter Moji, who works as a petty trader, had access to community-based elderly care services, she could better balance caring for her father with her own responsibilities.
Nigeria is at a critical point. By 2050, millions more Nigerians will be elderly. If we fail to establish reliable elder care systems today, we will face a crisis of neglect, poverty, and social disconnection tomorrow. Helping seniors now means building a safety net for ourselves and generations to come.
The untold story of seniors like Mama Grace and Baba Adewale reveals both the struggles and the strengths of Nigeria’s elderly. It also shows us one clear truth: elderly care is everyone’s responsibility. Families, communities, government, NGOs, and even individuals all have a role to play in shaping a better future for senior citizens.
Nigeria already has a National Policy on Ageing (2023), but like many policies, implementation is the challenge. The government must prioritize pension reform, healthcare subsidies, and community-based elderly care programs. Reliable social protection systems would ensure that seniors no longer suffer from delayed pensions, unpaid benefits, or lack of healthcare access.
Mobile health clinics, subsidized medications, and regular medical outreach programs can make a huge difference for seniors, especially in rural areas. As the University of Nebraska DigitalCommons notes, the cost of healthcare is one of the biggest barriers for the elderly. If Mama Grace had access to affordable blood pressure medication, her story would be one of healthy aging instead of silent suffering.
Since most elderly Nigerians are cared for at home, supporting caregivers is critical. Community training programs, financial assistance, and caregiver support groups (as recommended by the African Journal of Social Work) can help families provide better care without burning out. For people like Baba Adewale’s daughter, this kind of support could mean balancing work and caregiving without added stress.
Local organizations, faith groups, and NGOs like the Orebisi Adeyinka Heritage Empowerment Foundation (OAHEF) play a vital role in bridging the gap. By providing medical checkups, emotional support, and awareness programs, grassroots initiatives can reach seniors faster than large government systems often do. The power of local action lies in its closeness to the people.
Finally, we must return to the cultural values that once defined Nigerian communities. Respect for elders is not just tradition, it is wisdom. By teaching younger generations to value the elderly, we sustain our heritage while creating a society where no senior is left behind.
Growing old should be a blessing, not a burden. Yet, the stories of Mama Grace and Baba Adewale remind us that Nigeria’s elderly face challenges that demand urgent attention. They are not just victims of hardship, they are carriers of wisdom, culture, and resilience.
Elderly care in Nigeria matters because it is about dignity, justice, and humanity. It matters because the way we treat today’s seniors reflects the kind of society we are building for ourselves tomorrow. If we act now, by strengthening policies, expanding healthcare, supporting families, and empowering local organizations, we can ensure that our elders live their final years with the respect and care they deserve.
At Orebisi Adeyinka Heritage Empowerment Foundation (OAHEF), we believe that every senior citizen deserves to be valued, protected, and supported. Through healthcare outreach, emotional support, and community advocacy, we are working to write a new story for Nigeria’s elderly, one of dignity, respect, and hope.
👉 Join us in this mission. Together, we can build a Nigeria where growing old is truly a blessing