The Federal Government on Tuesday announced a major initiative to extend social protection to more than 60 million Nigerians working in the informal sector. The announcement was made in Abuja by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Muhammad Dingyadi, at the National Dialogue on Extending Social Protection Coverage to Informal Economy Workers. The event was organised by the Ministry in partnership with the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
Dr. Dingyadi said the government was working with key social protection agencies to roll out mobile health insurance and micro-pension schemes targeted at workers in markets, farms, transport hubs, and workshops. He noted that millions of informal workers currently lack any form of basic protection, and the new plan aims to bridge that gap using technology-driven systems.
He explained that efforts were underway to expand the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) and the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) to cover informal workers through mobile platforms offering convenient and flexible access. He added that the micro-pension scheme, driven by PENCOM in collaboration with the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), would improve pension inclusion for low-income earners.
The minister disclosed that pilot projects involving the ILO, UNICEF, and the World Bank were testing community-based insurance models that could be scaled nationwide. He challenged participants to produce a national implementation framework, warning that the meeting “must not end with communiqués that gather dust,” but with clear targets, adequate financing, and strong stakeholder commitment.
ILO Country Director for Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, Dr. Vanessa Phala, represented by Mr. Shailendra Kumar, the organisation’s Special Technical Advisor, said social protection was both a human right and an economic necessity. She noted that many informal workers were among the 85.2% of Nigerians without adequate protection and called for a comprehensive strategy to dismantle long-standing barriers.
“The ILO will continue supporting Nigeria’s efforts. Extending legal coverage and strengthening financing mechanisms are crucial for building a universal social protection system,” she said.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard Doro, represented by Mr. Peter Audu, said informal workers faced income instability, lack of insurance, and exposure to economic shocks. He said the dialogue offered a platform for designing workable solutions and reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to the Renewed Hope Agenda on poverty reduction and social inclusion.
Dr. Doro added that ongoing collaboration with states, development partners, and civil society organisations would improve coordination and inform reforms towards a more inclusive and shock-responsive protection system.
The Director-General of the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), Mr. Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, represented by Mr. Thompson Akpabio of NECA’s Abuja Liaison Office, described the dialogue as timely and crucial. He said NECA was ready to support the initiative, adding that engaging with existing associations would help extend safety nets to informal workers without compromising standards or product quality.
