Transparency of National Policy on Older Persons in Nigeria

This thesis examines the transparency of Nigeria's national policy concerning older persons, focusing on its goals and implementation strategies. Utilising media content, the study also investigates the social perception of older individuals in Nigeria. Employing a mixed-method approach, the research integrates both quantitative and qualitative analyses, building upon the WPR theoretical approach and social constructionism. Data for this study were gathered from policy documents, media content, and semi-structured interviews. The policy document dataset encompasses policy goals and various implementation strategies outlined in the documents. Media data consist of news articles from four print media outlets with national coverage and online presence, spanning from 2022 to 2024. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 elderly citizens aged between 60 and 85 years. The findings suggest that the National Senior Citizen Centre has developed a policy document that mirrors and aligns with the principles outlined by the United Nations regarding older persons. Analysis of the dissemination of policy goals and implementation strategies in the media revealed that certain ageing-related issues, such as social security, social support, and education on active ageing, received more attention. Moreover, the analysis indicated that NGOs and health practitioners are the predominant actors that featured the issues related to policy goals in the media, while the NSCC was less visible in projecting these concerns. Additionally, an examination of the social construction of older persons in the media showed that a majority of actors perceive them as vulnerable. The researcher proposes potential avenues for further research, specifically focusing on the transparency of the national policy concerning older persons in Nigeria and the social construction of older individuals within the country.