The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has called for a fundamental rethink of Nigeria’s social, healthcare and protection systems to prepare for longer lives, warning that many older persons continue to face poverty, neglect, abuse, discrimination and exclusion.

The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Dr. Tony Ojukwu, SAN, made the call on Tuesday in Abuja at a press briefing to commemorate the 2026 International Day of Older Persons.

The 2026 observance is being held under the theme, “The Age of Longevity: Rethinking Systems for Longer Lives.”

Ojukwu said the growing longevity of Nigerians should not be treated as a burden but as an opportunity requiring governments and society to redesign institutions and policies to support people throughout their lives.

According to him, older persons remain valuable contributors to families, communities and national development as professionals, entrepreneurs, farmers, community leaders, caregivers, mentors and custodians of culture and traditions.

He said: “The question before us is not simply how long people live, but how we ensure that those additional years are lived in good health, dignity, security, meaningful participation and equality.”

The NHRC boss stressed that ageing was fundamentally a human rights issue, insisting that older persons were rights-holders and not merely recipients of assistance.

He identified their rights to dignity, equality and non-discrimination, healthcare, social security, adequate living standards, family life, property, participation and access to justice, as well as protection from violence, abuse, exploitation and neglect.

Ojukwu expressed concern that many older Nigerians still struggle with poverty, inadequate income, limited access to healthcare, social isolation, weak social protection and delayed or inadequate pension benefits.

He also raised concerns over age discrimination, abandonment, neglect, physical and psychological abuse, financial exploitation and property dispossession.

The Executive Secretary noted that older women could face additional vulnerabilities arising from widowhood, discriminatory cultural practices, inheritance disputes, poverty and gender discrimination.

He added that older persons living with disabilities, those in rural communities, people living alone and those affected by displacement, poverty or humanitarian crises faced additional barriers to enjoying their rights.

Ojukwu said the NHRC had strengthened its interventions through advocacy, public enlightenment, monitoring, investigation of complaints, stakeholder engagement and capacity building.

He disclosed that the Commission had established and trained older Persons desk officers across its state offices to bring issues affecting ageing populations closer to communities.

The Commission, he added, was also engaging stakeholders on implementation of the African regional framework on the rights of older persons and strengthening national responses to ageism, elder abuse and other human rights violations.

Ojukwu urged Nigerians to reject stereotypes portraying old age as synonymous with dependency, incapacity or unproductivity.

“The dignity of a person does not diminish because of age,” he said, stressing that government institutions, families, the media, employers and communities all had a responsibility to promote positive and realistic representations of ageing.

He particularly urged the media to report ageing issues responsibly by giving visibility to the experiences and voices of older persons, exposing abuse and neglect and holding duty-bearers accountable.
He further stressed the need for older persons themselves to participate in decisions affecting their lives.

Ojukwu said the commission would continue to receive and investigate complaints, monitor situations affecting older persons, engage duty-bearers and advocate stronger implementation of laws and policies protecting their rights.

Also in a good will message, the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) said older persons among Nigeria’s displaced population faced unique protection challenges requiring age-sensitive humanitarian responses.

The Federal Commissioner of the Commission, represented by Dahiru Bobo, said Nigeria had 140,927 refugees and asylum seekers and 3,679,757 internally displaced persons as of September 1, 2026.

The Dave Omokaro Foundation (DOF) called for a renewed commitment to rights-based ageing, urging government and relevant stakeholders to strengthen laws, institutions and social protection systems to safeguard the dignity, independence and participation of older persons in Nigeria.

The foundation, in a goodwill message delivered by Ibrahim Daniya said older persons should not be regarded merely as recipients of care, but as rights holders, contributors to national development and custodians of knowledge and experience.

It urged the National Human Rights Commission, government agencies, civil society organisations, development partners and older persons’ organisations to deepen collaboration to address discrimination, neglect, abuse and exploitation while improving access to healthcare, justice, social protection and age-friendly services.

The foundation commended the NHRC for providing a platform to draw attention to the rights of older persons, stressing that ageing should be treated as a matter of human rights, social justice and national development.