The Federal Government is set to create a portal aimed at engaging, re‑engineering, and reactivating the capacity of older persons who wish to continue offering services after retirement. Dr. Emem Omokaro, Director General of the National Senior Citizens Centre (NSCC), announced this initiative on Wednesday during a collaborative meeting with relevant government agencies and stakeholders in Abuja. The meeting, titled “NSCC Continuing Engagement Bureau Programme,” sought to build a foundation of synergy between the centre and its critical partners.
Omokaro explained that the intervention seeks to tap the huge potential of older persons for national development. “The aim of the collaboration is to help the centre create an online portal that engages older professionals across various fields, allowing us to leverage their wealth of experience,” she said. She emphasized that the programme is about “disrupting retirements” by providing platforms, tools, and spaces for older individuals who wish to remain active and contribute. “Older persons have a right to contribute in any area they choose and to access the labour market after retirement, not necessarily as government employees,” she added. “We believe they possess talent, expertise, and skills that we can incubate.”
The portal will collect comprehensive data on retirees from the federal civil service, state, and local governments, and will identify the agencies needed at this service level. “In essence, the programme mobilises our older people to showcase the wealth Nigeria possesses,” Omokaro said, noting that the NSCC aims to create wealth through this initiative. The director‑general indicated that the portal is expected to be operational by April at the latest.
Mr. Aminu Hayatudeen, a representative of the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion, praised the centre’s zeal and passion in developing a platform that will improve the lives of older persons in the country. He noted that, once created, the portal will provide the centre with an accurate database of older professionals across various fields.
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