By Abidemi Adebamiwa
Growing old in Nigeria should come with comfort, respect, and a sense of security, yet the reality for many elderly citizens is far from this ideal. Across markets, bus stops, and rural communities, older men and women who once worked hard for this country now struggle to meet their basic needs. Instead of enjoying peace in their later years, they face hunger, loneliness, and untreated illnesses. This hardship is not a result of lack of effort from families. It is a sign that Nigeria has no real system that protects its elderly and families who are already stretched thin simply cannot carry the burden alone.
Anyone paying attention can see the signs. Older people are still working heavy jobs long after their strength has faded. Many sit quietly by the roadside seeking help from strangers. These are citizens who laboured for decades in farms, markets, workshops, classrooms, and transport routes. Yet when their bodies slow down, Nigeria leaves them to fend for themselves.
The economic situation has made things even more difficult. Many households cannot meet their own basic needs, so taking full responsibility for ageing parents becomes nearly impossible. Parents struggle with school fees and rising food prices. Young adults juggle multiple small jobs just to stay afloat. Under such pressure, families who want to help are often unable to do enough.
The structure of the pension system deepens the crisis. Only a small portion of Nigerians ever held formal jobs that qualify for pensions. Most people spent their working years in informal labour where there is no retirement plan and no savings to rely on. As a result, the majority enter old age with nothing guaranteed. Even those who receive pensions find that the payments cannot keep up with inflation or the rising cost of healthcare.
I still remember a story my mother shared with me about a neighbour who died because he could not afford a simple prescription. It was not complicated treatment. It was something he needed to keep going. Yet he had no money for it. The illness took him and his death became one more quiet tragedy. Many elderly Nigerians are living in this same silent danger today.
There have been small attempts at support. Ekiti State once ran a cash transfer programme for elderly residents and it genuinely improved the wellbeing of those who benefitted. The federal government created the National Senior Citizens Centre but progress has been slow and limited. The scale of the problem calls for much stronger and more consistent action.
Other African countries have already shown that meaningful elder care is possible. South Africa gives monthly grants to older citizens. Kenya supports its elderly through regular payments. Botswana and Lesotho run national old age pensions. These programmes are not perfect but they protect older people from falling into extreme poverty and they show what steady political will can achieve.
Nigeria can start with a modest social pension that reaches the poorest elderly citizens. States can expand community clinics, organise regular health checks, and link older people to basic health insurance. These steps do not require extreme spending or new bureaucracies. They only require intention and commitment.
A society that allows its elderly to beg for survival is a society that has lost its way. Nigeria can do better. Nigeria must do better. The elderly are not a burden. They are a responsibility and a reflection of the values we choose to uphold.
Abidemi Adebamiwa is a Policy Analyst, Managing Editor at Newspot Nigeria, and the Managing Director of ABT Investment and Consulting LLC.
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