Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, has outlined plans to expand healthcare and social support for the nation’s ageing population.

Pate disclosed the plans via his official X account on Tuesday, saying the initiative will create an inclusive society, where seniors could live healthy, dignified, and productive lives.

Recognising the demographic shift, with approximately four per cent of Nigerians now classified as elderly by the minister, Pate emphasised the urgency to establish “mechanisms to care for the elderly and other vulnerable groups.”

The vision, he explained, is to build a society where seniors could live a dignified, healthy, secured life, with an enabling environment to remain productive.

The statement reads: “The Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative and the compact we signed with states and our partners envisage expanding the mandatory health insurance scheme to cater to more of the poor and vulnerable populations.

“Through a defragmented approach, we are promoting investments to boost dividends from Nigeria’s vast human and social capital, in close collaboration and partnerships with various stakeholders, for improved wellbeing of our citizens.

“The meeting with the DG/CEO and team of National Senior Citizens Centre @nsccofficial was to discuss the initiatives being undertaken by the institution in providing solutions to the needs of our senior citizens. We identified areas of intersections within the social welfare agenda and how we could better collaborate to improve the quality of life and well-being of older persons in Nigeria.”

It thanked the Director-General of National Senior Citizens Centre (NSCC), Dr Emem Omokaro, for his “practical insights and explications on how to address the social and material deprivations, as well as dismantling other barriers to older persons’ wellbeing, to ensure that they can live life to the fullest.”