THE INTERNATIONAL Labour Organisation (ILO) has partnered with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to strengthen Nigeria’s social protection systems through the Supporting Sustainable Social Protection Systems in Nigeria (SUSI) project.
ILO Country Director, Dr Vanessa Phala, announced this on Thursday in Abuja during a two-day Transform Leadership and Capacity-Building Training for Policymakers aimed at enhancing social protection implementation.
Phala said the SUSI project sought to expand access to social protection for vulnerable groups and those affected by economic shocks, ensuring inclusive and sustainable national development.
She noted that the initiative aligned with Nigeria’s development priorities, the ILO Decent Work Country Programme, and the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework to advance the decent work agenda.
“This project supports sustainable social protection systems and reinforces government efforts under the Renewed Hope agenda,” Phala said, emphasising its importance for economic resilience and social inclusion.
UNICEF Social Policy Manager, Ms. Zarema Yerzhanova, said the training united policymakers and experts committed to strengthening inclusive social protection that leaved no one behind in Nigeria’s development journey.
She noted that in spite of Nigeria’s potential, millions, especially children, still face poverty, deprivation, and vulnerability to shocks such as conflict and climate change, underscoring the need for stronger safety nets.
Yerzhanova described social protection as a “smart investment” that, when effectively designed and financed, boosts productivity, enhances human capital, and builds resilience among vulnerable populations nationwide.
Also speaking, Mrs Franca Adukweh, Director of Social Protection at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, said the training built technical capacity and shared understanding among policymakers.
Adukweh emphasised that social protection remained a powerful tool for reducing poverty, promoting inclusion, and ensuring that no Nigerian was left behind in the country’s sustainable development goals. (NAN)
