By Godwin Agia, Jalingo
The National Council for Women Affairs, Child Advancement and Social Development has commenced its 2026 National Summit in Jalingo, Taraba State, with a call for increased investment in families, social protection and the care economy.
The summit, which began on Monday, is being held under the theme, “Strengthening Families and Advancing the Care Economy for Inclusive Development.”
Declaring the Pre-Summit Technical Session open, the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Ibrahim, said advancing the care economy requires deliberate investment in policies, infrastructure and services that recognise, reduce, redistribute and reward care work while creating decent employment opportunities in the sector.
The minister, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mrs Esuabana Asanye, described the theme as timely and strategic, stressing that strong families remain the foundation of stable societies and sustainable national development.
She said the summit would also highlight the critical contribution of both paid and unpaid care work to household wellbeing and inclusive economic growth.
According to her, care work has remained largely invisible despite its significant contribution to national development, with women and girls continuing to bear a disproportionate share of unpaid care responsibilities.
She noted that the burden often limits women’s and girls’ opportunities in education, employment, entrepreneurship and leadership.
Ibrahim therefore called for stronger social protection systems to protect vulnerable households from poverty and economic shocks.
The minister explained that the Pre-Summit Technical Session serves as the intellectual foundation of the Council, noting that memoranda submitted by ministries, departments and agencies at the federal, state and local government levels would be carefully analysed.
She said the memoranda would either be adopted or referred for further consideration and implementation, while recommendations emerging from the deliberations would help shape future government plans, policies, projects and programmes.
The minister said the 26th Council meeting was taking place at a critical period as Nigeria works towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030, African Union Agenda 2063, ECOWAS Vision 2050 and the Medium-Term National Development Plan (MTNDP) 2026–2030 under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
She added that the Federal Government, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, was prioritising inclusive economic growth, human capital development, poverty reduction and social protection.
Taraba Governor Welcomes Delegates
Welcoming delegates to Taraba State, Governor Agbu Kefas said the people of the state were honoured to host the national gathering.
The governor, who was represented by the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Child Development, Mrs Mary Sinjen, urged participants to make effective use of the summit to exchange ideas and develop practical solutions to challenges affecting women, children and vulnerable groups.
He said the gathering provided an opportunity to strengthen partnerships and advance policies aimed at improving the welfare and development of vulnerable persons across the country.
“Your presence here is a testament to our shared commitment to advancing the welfare, empowerment, protection, and development of women, children, and vulnerable persons across Nigeria.
“I encourage us to use this Council to exchange ideas, share experiences, strengthen partnerships, and develop practical solutions that will translate into meaningful impact in our communities,” he said.
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