Alzheimer's disease and dementia care in Nigeria: Challenges, realities, and the call for a national strategy

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease, which is the most common cause of dementia, represents a growing but under-recognized public health challenge in Nigeria. Despite global advances in dementia awareness, care and management, Nigeria continues to face significant barriers, including stigma, inadequate health infrastructure, and the absence of a national dementia strategy. This article highlights the epidemiology, biological basis, risk factors, and current challenges of Alzheimer's disease in Nigeria, while proposing evidence-based recommendations for policy, research, and community engagement aligned with global best practices. Emerging evidence also demonstrates the potential role of AI-driven eye-tracking technologies as non-invasive tools for early Alzheimer's disease detection, which may be particularly relevant for low-resource settings where access to advanced neuroimaging and biomarkers is limited.