Poised to building a thriving care economy across Africa, Caring Africa has launched the Childcare Growth Lab—a pioneering initiative aimed at closing Nigeria’s childcare gap and strengthening the infrastructure working families rely on every day.
In partnership with The Baby Lounge, one of Nigeria’s most trusted childcare brands, the inaugural cohort of the Childcare Growth Lab kicked off this week with 25 carefully selected childcare entrepreneurs and center owners. This first-of-its-kind accelerator equips providers with the tools, training, and strategies to deliver high-quality, affordable, reliable, and accessible childcare that meets the needs of today’s Nigerian families.
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Across the country, from Lagos to Kano, families are facing a growing childcare crisis—marked by unreliable care, an unregulated market, and little institutional support. The Childcare Growth Lab addresses this head-on by helping providers professionalize operations, diversify revenue, attract investment, and meet quality standards that center children’s well-being and development.
“This is not just a program,” said Blessing Adesiyan, Founder & CEO of Caring Africa. “It’s a movement to restore trust, raise standards, and deliver the kind of childcare that working families deserve. We’re starting with 25 centers—but our goal is to train over 300 childcare entrepreneurs this year alone. That’s 300 stronger models, 300 safer spaces, and 300 engines of growth for women and families across Nigeria.”
The first cohort was hosted at Evercare Hospital Lekki, a partner deeply aligned with Caring Africa’s mission to holistically support mothers and children with high-quality care.
Participants in the Childcare Growth Lab benefit from hands-on workshops, expert-led sessions, peer learning, and operational audits, while tackling real-world challenges such as staffing, funding, visibility, compliance, and customer trust. Each participant also gains access to Caring Blocks—a digital platform that connects families to vetted and reliable childcare providers and simplifies payments and caregiver management.
“This partnership with The Baby Lounge is proof that when care innovators come together, real change is possible,” Adesiyan added. “Childcare is not a luxury—it’s infrastructure. It enables parents to work, children to thrive, and economies to grow.”
As the initiative expands nationwide, Caring Africa is calling on corporate partners, government stakeholders, and philanthropic leaders to recognize childcare as a cornerstone of economic development—and to join them in shaping a care economy that works for everyone.
