Nigeria could gain up to 1.7 million working mothers by 2030 if the country invests in affordable, quality childcare.

This is according to new findings from Economist Impact’s Childcare Dividend Initiative, a report unveiled on Wednesday.

The report is supported by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and generated from a high-level forum alongside the G20 Women’s Economic Empowerment Working Group Ministerial Meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The study revealed that childcare is not only a social service but also a critical driver of inclusive economic growth and national productivity.

It is estimated that universal childcare coverage can boost Nigeria’s GDP by 1.09 per cent through increased female labour participation, higher household incomes, and expanded tax revenues that support national development priorities.

To highlight these opportunities, Economist Impact hosted a high-level forum on the sidelines of the G20 meeting, bringing together policymakers, funders, care providers, and civil society organisations.

Discussions focused on how strategic investment in childcare can fuel inclusive growth, advance gender equality, and support child development, aligning with the G20 agenda on women’s economic empowerment and decent work.

Speakers shared lessons from successful reforms, such as Kenya’s National Care Strategy, which integrates childcare into economic and social planning to promote equitable access for all families.

They also underscored the need for cross-ministerial collaboration, spanning finance, education, health, and social development ministries, to build integrated and sustainable care systems across African economies.

Speaking, Katherine Stewart, lead researcher for the CDI at Economist Impact, said affordable childcare must be viewed as an economic necessity rather than a luxury accessible only to privileged households and communities.

”Our research demonstrates that childcare investments strengthen economies, improve productivity, and empower women to contribute meaningfully to national prosperity,” she said.

Ms Stewart urged governments to prioritise the care economy in fiscal planning, adding that the study found that inadequate childcare services cost the economies of South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria billions in lost income during 2022 alone.

”It highlights that across Sub-Saharan Africa, the care economy remains underdeveloped in spite of its enormous potential to generate employment, promote gender equality, and support children’s well-being through early education and social inclusion.

”Economist Impact’s research shows that when childcare systems are accessible and well-designed, they enable women to participate more fully in the workforce while creating new jobs within the formal care sector,” she said.

Jasmina Papa, a social protection specialist at the International Labour Organisation (ILO), noted that expanding affordable, quality childcare can also be one of the greatest engines for decent job creation and social progress.

According to her, investing in the care economy is both an economic and social imperative.

Ms Papa added that care was a public good that everyone receives and would eventually provide in their lifetime.

Juhi Kasan, project lead for Economies of Care at the Institute for Economic Justice in South Africa, emphasised that gender-responsive budgeting must go beyond gender tagging to ensure true fiscal accountability.

”Applying this lens to health and education budgets is vital for making public spending more transparent, democratic, and equitable,” she said.

Ms Kasan called for budgets that would reflect women’s real contributions.

She added that prioritising the care economy does not mean using women as instruments of development, but rather placing the well-being of communities, families, and societies at the forefront.

Experts urged governments to integrate the care economy into national development frameworks, driving equitable growth and sustainable development outcomes across the region.

They urged policymakers to make childcare a central component of economic recovery strategies, social protection reforms, and fiscal planning, ensuring that both women and men benefit from inclusive growth opportunities.

(NAN)