The International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the Federal Government have tasked policymakers with strengthening sustainable social protection systems to protect vulnerable Nigerians and promote inclusive development.
The call was made on Monday at the opening of the five-day TRANSFORM Leadership Training on Social Protection in Abuja. The training, organised by the ILO in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), is aimed at strengthening policymakers’ capacity to design, implement and monitor effective social protection policies.
Speaking at the event, the Director of Social Security at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Mrs Franca Adiekweh, said building policymakers’ capacity was essential to designing, implementing and monitoring effective social protection policies.
Adiekweh said the training came at a crucial time as Nigeria pursued policies to expand inclusive, equitable and sustainable social protection for vulnerable and underserved populations.
She reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to promoting decent work and strengthening social protection as critical drivers of economic growth, poverty reduction and social justice.
The ILO Country Director for Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Liaison Office for ECOWAS, Ms Vanessa Phala, said stronger social protection systems were critical to protecting Nigerians from economic and social shocks.
Represented by the ILO Senior Programme Officer, Mrs Chinyere Emeka-Anuna, Phala said countries with inclusive social protection systems were better positioned to protect livelihoods and promote economic recovery.
“The world continues to experience multiple and overlapping crises. These challenges reinforce one important lesson: countries with stronger and more inclusive social protection systems are better able to protect their people,” she said.
Phala described TRANSFORM as a leadership initiative designed to challenge participants to rethink the design, coordination, financing and delivery of social protection systems.
“TRANSFORM is more than a training programme. It is a leadership initiative that challenges us to think differently about how social protection systems are designed, coordinated, financed and delivered,” she said.
She urged participants to translate lessons from the training into improved policies, stronger institutions and better coordination, stressing that universal social protection was vital to inclusive growth, decent work and national stability.
According to her, the ILO’s Social Protection Floors Recommendation, 2012 (No. 202), provides practical guidance for countries seeking to progressively achieve universal social protection.
The representative of the European Union (EU), Ms Choma Osuji, said the training was repeated following increased demand from ministries and the positive outcomes recorded during its previous edition.
Osuji said the programme would deepen participants’ understanding, strengthen institutional collaboration and improve the implementation of social protection policies, describing TRANSFORM as a globally recognised learning package.
She added that the training would promote evidence-based decision-making, strengthen social dialogue and enhance stakeholders’ capacity to protect vulnerable populations, respond to shocks and advance inclusive development.
The Abuja Liaison Officer of the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), Ms Jennifer Yelwa, who represented the Director-General, Mr Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, said the training came at a crucial time for strengthening policymakers’ understanding of social protection.
She commended the ILO, the European Union and UNICEF for supporting the programme and reaffirmed NECA’s commitment to collaborating with stakeholders to advance social protection.
Also speaking, the Assistant General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Chris Onyeka, urged the Federal Government to make adequate provisions to sustain social protection initiatives in the country.
Onyeka said bringing development partners and policymakers together would strengthen efforts to address social risks arising from economic and other challenges.
He urged the government to complement support from development partners while calling on stakeholders to work collectively to ensure lasting social protection and livelihood security for Nigerians.
