By: Peter Emmanuel |
Nigeria is strengthening efforts to improve early childhood development by integrating nurturing care into primary healthcare services, giving pregnant women, caregivers and young children greater access to support for healthy growth and development.
The approach is being promoted through discussions among government, health professionals, development partners and other stakeholders on how primary healthcare can be used to identify developmental delays early, support caregivers and connect children to specialist services where necessary.
The initiative was among the issues discussed during a World Health Organization-convened high-level panel on nurturing care at the Africa Primary Health Care Forum 2026 in Abuja, where 513 participants from six countries examined ways to improve early childhood development through existing health systems.
Participants agreed that primary healthcare remains one of the most accessible platforms for reaching pregnant women, caregivers, infants and young children, while also providing opportunities for collaboration between the health sector and other sectors involved in child welfare.
“Primary health care remains the government platform with the widest and most consistent contact with pregnant women, caregivers and young children. Integrated action is needed to promote early childhood development,” said Dr Amina Mohammed, Director of the Child Health Division, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
The need for such intervention is significant, with poor developmental outcomes estimated to affect about two-thirds of children in sub-Saharan Africa. Stakeholders say stronger investment in health, nutrition, responsive caregiving, early learning and child protection is needed to help Nigerian children reach their full developmental potential.
Primary Healthcare Brings Early Childhood Support Closer to Families
The early years of life are a critical period for brain development and provide the foundation for lifelong learning, health and productivity. Nurturing care during this period supports children’s cognitive, language, motor, social and emotional development.
At the Primary Health Care Centre in Ugbor, Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State, routine immunisation and growth monitoring visits are increasingly being used as opportunities to educate caregivers about child development.
Among the caregivers is Mrs Shegu Ritawaits, who arrived at the facility with her eight-month-old child expecting a routine clinic visit. During the visit, a health worker demonstrated how simple activities such as talking, singing, playing, smiling and responding to a baby’s cues can support learning and development.
“I did not know that talking and playing with my baby could help her learn,” Mrs Shegu said. “Now I try to do it every day, even when I am cooking or washing clothes.”
The experience reflects the broader argument that nurturing care does not necessarily require separate services or facilities. By incorporating guidance on early learning and responsive caregiving into routine primary healthcare visits, health workers can reach caregivers at a point when they are already seeking services for their children.
Osun Initiative Improves Early Detection and Referral of Developmental Delays
While national discussions continue, experiences from Osun State are showing how developmental support can be incorporated into existing health systems. An initiative is strengthening the early identification and referral of children with developmental delays and disabilities.
The programme is a partnership between the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex (OAUTHC) and the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), United Kingdom, founded under the Global Health Workforce Programme.
The initiative has trained 278 frontline health workers and established referral pathways linking primary healthcare centres with specialist services. The goal is to ensure that children with possible developmental delays are identified earlier and referred for appropriate care and support.
Dr Oluwatosin Olorunmoteni, a consultant paediatric neurologist at OAUTHC and co-lead of the partnership, said the intervention was already helping improve referrals. “With this intervention, children below one year are referred, and for some less than six months,” he said.
Health workers involved in the programme have also reported greater confidence in assessing children and making appropriate referrals. At the Ugbor Primary Health Care Centre, nurse Caroline Ugbomor Osato said caregivers are increasingly interested in understanding how they can help their children speak, play and learn, rather than visiting the facility only for immunisation.
Caregiver Support Helps Families of Children With Developmental Disabilities
The Osun State initiative also places emphasis on supporting caregivers of children with developmental disabilities. Through Baby Ubuntu caregiver groups, families have opportunities to share experiences, receive peer support and learn practical ways to encourage their children’s development.
The groups provide a space for caregivers who face similar challenges to discuss their experiences and support one another. Such peer networks can complement professional healthcare services by helping families cope with the demands associated with caring for children with developmental disabilities.
Since the groups were established, they have reached many caregivers and provided opportunities for families to learn from one another. The approach recognises that supporting a child’s development also requires strengthening the people who provide care for the child every day.
For Faridat Adegoke, a caregiver of a child with cerebral palsy and a parent support group coordinator, the groups have offered encouragement and practical support. She said the opportunity to share experiences with other caregivers has helped families deal with their challenges.
“We share our stories. We share the pains together. We share our success together. It has been a kind of relief,” Adegoke said.
The experiences of caregivers such as Adegoke highlight the importance of combining health services with family and community support. Stakeholders say stronger caregiver engagement can help ensure that children with developmental delays and disabilities receive consistent support both within health facilities and at home.
WHO, Government Push Integrated Approach to Early Childhood Development
The World Health Organization is supporting efforts to strengthen nurturing care and early childhood development in Nigeria by providing technical leadership, convening stakeholders and supporting multisectoral dialogue. The organisation is advocating for evidence-based approaches that can be incorporated into existing health systems.
Through the Africa Primary Health Care Forum 2026, supported by the European Union-funded SPIN project, WHO brought together government leaders, development partners, researchers, health professionals and regional networks to examine how nurturing care can be integrated into primary healthcare services.
Dr Joy Ufere, WHO Technical Officer, said nurturing care should not be treated as an additional responsibility outside routine healthcare. “Nurturing care for early childhood development is not an extra task for the health system,” she said. “It is a core component of quality care for every child, delivered through integrated multisectoral action.”
Government leadership remains central to expanding such interventions across Nigeria. Dr Mohammed said the government’s priority was to ensure that every child is seen, supported and given the opportunity to develop fully, adding that WHO’s support was helping bring different sectors together around a shared goal.
With Africa’s young population, stakeholders say investment in early childhood development is both a health priority and an economic investment. Returns are estimated at between US$6 and US$17 for every US$1 invested, strengthening the case for sustained investment, better coordination and the expansion of evidence-based approaches that can give more Nigerian children a stronger start in life.
The programme is a partnership between the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex (OAUTHC) and the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), United Kingdom, founded under the Global Health Workforce Programme. The initiative benefits from technical collaboration through state-level WHO representatives but is not directly implemented by WHO.
