When Memories Fade: How Dementia Is Changing Ageing for Nigerian Families
Oluwatobi Adu 
ABUJA, Nigeria – The first thing Mrs. Adepoju forgot was not a place or a date. It was the faces of the people she loved most. What began as occasional confusion gradually became a devastating diagnosis that transformed everyday life for her family, replacing ordinary conversations with constant caregiving, emotional strain and mounting medical bills. Across Nigeria, similar stories are unfolding quietly in homes where memory loss is often dismissed as a normal part of aging rather than recognised as a medical condition requiring care. In this report, Oluwatobi Adu examines the growing burden of dementia in Nigeria, the challenges families face in caring for loved ones, and why experts say the country’s aging policy must move from paper to practice.
When a Mother Stops Recognising Her Children
Mrs. Adepoju was only 59 when her family noticed something was wrong.
For years, she had managed diabetes and hypertension. But when her blood sugar became increasingly difficult to control, her health deteriorated rapidly. She began speaking out of context and gradually forgot the names and faces of family members.
Her younger son recalled the painful progression.
“She had been managing diabetes for years, but when it became severe, she started forgetting little by little.”
After consultations at two hospitals in Lagos, doctors confirmed dementia.
The diagnosis changed everything.
Mrs. Adepoju’s four children shared caregiving responsibilities before eventually employing a full-time caregiver.
“We have been drained financially. We had to employ someone to look after her because she could no longer care for herself.”
For the family, the illness became more than a medical diagnosis. It reshaped relationships, finances and daily life.
A Long Goodbye That Lasted Years
Another caregiver, Abigail, described a similar experience while caring for an elderly woman known as Mama Grace.
Following a fall at age 95, Mama Grace became wheelchair bound. Soon afterwards, her memory began to fade.
“She gradually stopped recognising family and friends. Eventually she couldn’t even recognise her own children.”
Ironically, she could vividly remember events from decades earlier while struggling to identify those standing beside her.
She frequently spoke about relatives who had long passed away.
Mama Grace lived until the age of 102.
For years, her family watched dementia slowly erase the memories that once defined her life.
Nigeria’s Ageing Population Faces a Growing Challenge
Nigeria’s ageing population means dementia is becoming an increasingly important public health concern.
Recognising this, the Federal Executive Council approved the National Policy on Ageing for Older Persons in 2021.
The policy seeks to ensure older Nigerians enjoy dignity, independence, healthcare, security and social inclusion while addressing poverty, disability, healthcare access and support for elderly citizens.
However, implementation remains uneven.
Meanwhile, dementia cases continue to rise.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that more than 55 million people worldwide live with dementia, with nearly 10 million new cases recorded annually.
Its 2026 dementia prevention guidelines state that up to 45 per cent of dementia cases could potentially be delayed or prevented by addressing modifiable risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, obesity, hearing loss, smoking, excessive alcohol use and physical inactivity.
Nigeria reflects this global trend.
Research published by the University of Edinburgh estimated that dementia cases among Nigerians aged 60 years and above increased from about 63,500 in 1995 to more than 318,000 by 2015, representing a five-fold increase over two decades.
Studies also estimate that dementia affects nearly 5 per cent of Nigerians aged 60 years and above, with prevalence rising sharply among older age groups and women.
“Dementia Is Not Normal Ageing”
Consultant Psychiatrist Dr Ayokunle Felix Akinsade believes one of Nigeria’s greatest challenges is misunderstanding the disease itself.
In an exclusive interview with Africa Health Report, he stressed that dementia should never be regarded as an inevitable consequence of growing old.
“Dementia is a condition in which the brain gradually loses its ability to remember, think, communicate and carry out everyday activities independently.”
He explained that Alzheimer’s disease remains the commonest cause, followed by vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia and other neurological disorders.
Although dementia usually develops after age 65, younger-onset cases can occur in people in their forties and fifties.
According to Akinsade, healthier lifestyles can significantly reduce future risk.
“Controlling blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol, remaining physically active, avoiding smoking, maintaining social interaction and treating hearing loss and depression early can all reduce the risk.”
Why Families Arrive Too Late
One of the biggest obstacles to dementia care, Akinsade said, is delayed diagnosis.
Many families assume severe forgetfulness is simply part of old age.
By the time medical help is sought, patients often have advanced dementia.
“Late diagnosis means missed opportunities to identify reversible causes of memory problems and increases both the emotional and financial burden on families.”
He also noted that dementia services remain limited across Nigeria.
Few primary healthcare centres routinely screen older adults for memory disorders, while specialist clinics remain concentrated in tertiary hospitals.
Strengthening community-based services, he said, would improve early detection and long-term care.
Caregivers Carry the Hidden Burden
While dementia primarily affects older adults, families often become the unseen victims.
Many relatives leave jobs to provide full-time care.
Others hire caregivers despite financial hardship.
Daily routines revolve around helping loved ones eat, bathe, take medications and remain safe.
Experts say caregiver burnout, emotional distress and financial exhaustion are becoming increasingly common as Nigeria’s elderly population grows.
Turning Policy into Protection
Nigeria already has a policy designed to protect older persons. The challenge now is translating those commitments into practical support for families living with dementia.
Experts say stronger public awareness campaigns, routine cognitive screening at primary healthcare centres, better control of hypertension and diabetes, expanded specialist services and support programmes for caregivers are essential if dementia is to be detected earlier and managed more effectively.
Equally important is investing in the National Policy on Ageing so that it delivers meaningful healthcare, social protection and dignity for older Nigerians.
Mrs. Adepoju and Mama Grace’s stories remind us that dementia does not only erase memories—it reshapes entire families. As Nigeria’s population continues to age, the country faces a defining question: will dementia remain a silent crisis hidden behind closed doors, or will it finally receive the attention, investment and compassion needed to ensure older Nigerians can age with dignity?
About the Author
Otamere Gladness 
Edino Chubiyo Cornelius 
Korede Abdullah