Abstract
The study examines the important but undervalued role of unpaid care work to sustainable and inclusive national development, particularly in developing economies such as Nigeria and other countries in the Sub-Saharan Africa. Unpaid care work such as childcare and eldercare, cooking, cleaning, and housekeeping is still excluded from official economic accounts despite its important contribution to social and economic well-being. On a systematic review basis, the study identifies key themes such as unpaid care work devaluation and invisibility, gendered division of labor, policy voids, and the socioeconomic value added by unpaid care to national productivity. Findings reveal that women disproportionately carry the burden of unpaid care, which constrains education, work, and leadership positions, thereby perpetuating gender inequality. The study finds out that countries adopting measures to observe, reduce, and redistribute unpaid care work have higher gender equality, improved economic inclusion, and sustainable development outcomes. It finds that integrating unpaid care work into country accounts, development planning, and social protection schemes is essential for equitable growth. As an economic and social imperative, recognizing care work brings it out from an individual burden to a societal responsibility, and supports human flourishing as much as national prosperity.