The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has urged governments and society to rethink existing institutions, policies and systems to adequately support people throughout their lives, as the number of people living longer increases. This call was made by the Executive Secretary of the Commission, Chief Tony Ojukwu, SAN, on Tuesday in Abuja at a press conference to commemorate the 2026 International Day of Older Persons.
The theme of the International Day of Older Persons, “The Age of Longevity: Rethinking Systems for Longer Lives,” highlights the need for stronger systems to support older persons. Ojukwu emphasized that longevity should not be regarded as a burden, but rather as an opportunity for older persons to contribute their knowledge, experience, skills, values and institutional memory to families, communities and the nation.
According to Ojukwu, older persons are not merely recipients of care but “right holders and active members of our society” whose voices must be reflected in decisions and policies affecting their lives. The NHRC boss listed some of the rights of older persons, including dignity, equality and non-discrimination, life, health, social security, adequate standard of living, family life, property, participation, freedom from violence, abuse, exploitation and neglect, access to justice, and the right to live independently and participate fully in society.
Despite these rights, many older persons in Nigeria face significant challenges, including inadequate income, limited access to healthcare, social isolation, inadequate social protection, delayed or insufficient pension benefits, discrimination, abandonment, neglect, abuse and exploitation. The NHRC has continued to strengthen its interventions through advocacy, public enlightenment, monitoring, investigations, stakeholder engagement, capacity building and collaboration with relevant institutions.
The NHRC boss called for collective action involving federal, state and local governments, civil society organisations, professional associations, trade unions, traditional institutions, community leaders and families to protect the rights and welfare of older persons. He reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to promoting and protecting the rights of older persons, saying the Commission would continue to raise awareness, monitor situations affecting older persons, engage duty-bearers and advocate stronger implementation of laws and policies.
Dahiru Bobo, speaking on behalf of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, disclosed that Nigeria had 140,927 refugees and asylum seekers, while 3,679,757 internally displaced persons (IDPs) were either living in camps or host communities as of September 1, 2026. Bobo noted that elderly men and women, including persons with disabilities, were among the displaced population and required specific attention in humanitarian responses.
The President of the Civil Society for the Rights of Older Persons in Nigeria (COSROPIN), Senator Eze Dalington Ajoku, also called for stronger systems to respond to Nigeria’s growing ageing population. Ajoku emphasized that the country’s healthcare, social protection, housing, transportation, employment, pension and community support systems must be strengthened to ensure that increased life expectancy becomes an opportunity rather than a burden.
Key points
- The NHRC has called for stronger social, healthcare and protection systems to ensure that older persons in Nigeria live with dignity, security, independence and full enjoyment of their human rights.
- The rights of older persons are not special privileges but the same universal and indivisible rights guaranteed to every individual.
- Collective action is required to protect the rights and welfare of older persons in Nigeria.
