Nigeria Set to Gain Millions of Working Mothers Through Childcare Investment — New Study

Nigeria stands to add up to 1.7 million working mothers to its labour force by 2030 if it makes significant investments in affordable and quality childcare, according to new findings from the Economist Impact’s Childcare Dividend Initiative (CDI) unveiled on Wednesday.

Supported by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the report was launched at a high-level forum held alongside the G20 Women’s Economic Empowerment Working Group Ministerial Meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa. It emphasizes that childcare is not merely a social service but a critical engine for inclusive economic growth and national productivity.

The study reveals that Nigeria could record the largest workforce gain in Africa — with 1.7 million mothers joining the labour market, representing 2.7 per cent of the national workforce. It further projects that universal childcare coverage could boost Nigeria’s GDP by 1.09 per cent, driven by higher female labour participation, increased household income, and enhanced tax revenues.

At the G20 forum, experts and policymakers discussed how strategic childcare investments could fuel gender equality, drive economic inclusion, and enhance child development, aligning with the G20 agenda on women’s empowerment and decent work. Successful models, such as Kenya’s National Care Strategy, were cited as examples of integrating childcare into national planning.

Lead researcher Ms. Katherine Stewart of Economist Impact urged African governments to treat affordable childcare as an economic necessity rather than a privilege, noting that its absence cost Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa billions in lost income in 2022. She stressed that a robust childcare system not only empowers women but also creates jobs within the formal care sector.

Echoing this view, Jasmina Papa, Social Protection Specialist at the International Labour Organisation (ILO), described childcare as a public good and a key driver of decent job creation and social progress. Meanwhile, Juhi Kasan, Project Lead for Economies of Care at the Institute for Economic Justice, South Africa, advocated for gender-responsive budgeting that ensures accountability and reflects women’s true contributions to national development.

As the G20 Summit wrapped up, experts urged governments to integrate the care economy into national development and fiscal frameworks, making childcare a central pillar of economic recovery and social protection reforms. The CDI report concludes that when childcare systems are accessible, high-quality, and inclusive, economies become more productive and equitable — benefiting everyone.