The Federal Government and the Organisation of Trade Unions of West Africa (OTUWA) have called for wider social protection coverage for workers in the informal economy, as only 16 per cent of West Africans receive at least one social protection benefit, compared with the African average of 19.1 per cent.
The call was made in Abuja on Monday at the opening of a two-day regional workshop organised by OTUWA in collaboration with the Danish Trade Union Development Agency (DTDA). Stakeholders urged governments, trade unions, employers and development partners to take practical steps to extend social security benefits to more workers, reduce poverty and protect vulnerable groups across West Africa.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Muhammad Dingyadi, said millions of workers remained excluded from formal social security systems despite their contributions to economic growth, agriculture, trade and other productive activities.
Dingyadi, who was represented by Mr Aper Ifi, Assistant Director of Social Security in the ministry, described social protection as essential to safeguarding human dignity, reducing poverty and promoting equality.
He said expanding social protection coverage would help ensure that workers, regardless of their employment status, had access to adequate social security benefits.
“It helps in reducing poverty, promoting equality and ensuring that no worker is left behind,” the minister said.
Dingyadi urged governments, trade unions, employers and development partners to move beyond policy discussions and take practical steps to make social protection accessible, affordable, inclusive and sustainable.
He also called on trade unions to champion universal social protection by organising informal economy workers and ensuring that vulnerable groups were represented in national and regional policy decisions.
The minister expressed optimism that the workshop would produce practical recommendations, strengthen regional cooperation and promote the portability of social security benefits where applicable.
Speaking at the workshop, the Acting President of OTUWA, Mrs Sophie Kourouma, said social protection coverage in West Africa stood at 16 per cent, below the African average of 19.1 per cent.
“West Africa is lagging behind the rest of the regions on our continent in social protection coverage,” Kourouma said.
She described the ECOWAS Social Protection Framework as an important step in regional social policy, designed to guide member states in strengthening and expanding their social protection systems.
Kourouma said the workshop would identify ways for trade unions and civil society organisations to participate effectively in implementing, monitoring and evaluating the framework.
She added that participants would examine the links between social protection, climate change, just transition and gender equality, while developing advocacy strategies suited to the needs of the sub-region.
According to her, presentations on the ECOWAS framework and the International Labour Organisation’s Global Social Protection Report would support the development of effective national action plans.
Also speaking, Ms Lilliane Napoe, DTDA’s representative in West Africa, urged trade unions to intensify efforts to extend social protection benefits to workers in the informal economy.
Napoe described the ECOWAS Social Protection Framework and Operational Plan for 2024 to 2028 as a significant milestone in regional social policy, providing a roadmap for expanding coverage, improving access to essential services and promoting social inclusion.
She expressed concern that only about 16 per cent of West Africans received at least one social protection benefit, while public spending on social protection across the region averaged less than one per cent of Gross Domestic Product.
“These figures are not mere statistics; they represent millions of workers, particularly those in the informal economy, whose livelihoods, dignity and security remain precariously unprotected,” Napoe said.
She noted that the informal economy remained central to West Africa’s labour market, yet many workers continued to lack adequate labour rights, legal protection and social safety nets.
Napoe called for stronger collaboration among governments, trade unions, civil society organisations and development partners to address the barriers preventing informal economy workers from accessing social protection.
