Nigeria Seeks to Enhance Social Protection with International Labour Organisation’s Support
The Nigerian government has affirmed its commitment to strengthening collaboration with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) to extend social safety nets across the country. Mrs Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, reiterated this commitment during a meeting with an ILO delegation in Abuja.
Onyejeocha emphasized the government’s focus on broadening access to social protection initiatives in Nigeria, aiming to improve the quality of life for many individuals. She stressed the importance of social protection as a means to alleviate poverty and vulnerability, foster efficient labour markets, and reduce exposure to risks.
During the meeting, Onyejeocha expressed her determination to expedite the implementation of vital programs like social security, highlighting the ministry’s role in addressing poverty and unemployment. She assured the ILO of Nigeria’s commitment to the vision of social protection, particularly in expanding health insurance coverage and reaching vulnerable populations.
Mrs Ngozi Anukwu, Deputy Director of the Social Security Department at the ministry, reiterated the department’s dedication to its responsibilities in social security, including efforts related to ‘Convention 102’.
Dramane Batchabi, the ILO Regional Social Protection Specialist, led the ILO delegation and emphasized the need to increase social protection coverage in Nigeria, where only 17% of the population currently benefits from such programs. He highlighted the challenges posed by Nigeria’s large informal economy and urged the government to prioritize policy measures to extend social protection to informal workers.
Batchabi also emphasized the importance of deploying the National Social Protection Policy adopted in 2022 and leveraging the National Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) to optimize social protection interventions.
The collaboration between Nigeria and the ILO underscores the government’s commitment to enhancing social protection coverage and addressing key social and economic challenges facing the country.
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