Introduction

Nigerian women shoulder a disproportionate burden of unpaid care work, spending up to five hours daily on domestic duties without compensation. This invisible labour, deeply rooted in cultural norms and policy gaps, shapes economic realities across the country. Understanding its scope is the first step toward meaningful change.

What Happened

According to the Nigeria Time Use Survey 2024, women dedicate 21% of their day approximately five extra hours to unpaid domestic and care work while men contribute just one hour. From age six, girls like Fadekemi are socialized into domestic roles, continuing through motherhood and grandmotherhood. Traditional practices such as Omugwo reinforce that care is women's work, sidelining men and embedding inequality from childhood.

Why This Matters

This unpaid care economy is valued at up to $111 billion annually, yet it remains excluded from GDP calculations. When women's time is consumed by unpaid labour, their participation in the formal workforce shrinks, slowing national growth. Research shows that redistributing care responsibilities could unlock millions of women in the labour market and significantly boost economic output.

Key Takeaways

A 2026 study found 64% of women are primary newborn caregivers often due to entrenched gender norms and insufficient parental leave policies. Nigeria's current maternity leave offers 50% pay, while civil service fathers receive only 14 days of paternity leave, leaving private sector fathers absent from day one. However, the proposed National Care Policy framework suggests that shared care duties could add $111 billion to the economy eight times more than the oil sector and employ 1.7 million more mothers. Recognizing care as economic work, not just family duty, is essential for inclusive growth.

Conclusion

The cost of Nigeria's unpaid care crisis extends beyond individual households affecting the entire nation's economic potential. Policy reforms cultural shifts and shared responsibility between genders are vital to transform care from an invisible burden into a thriving economic sector. Readers can engage with the draft National Care Policy at nigeriacarepolicy.org to help shape a more equitable future.