By Ngozi Onyeakusi —At the 3rd Edition of the Social Protection Cross Learning Summit today, the Government of Nigeria, in collaboration with UNICEF and partners emphasized the critical need for strengthened social protection system to address the pressing issues of poverty.

Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa, faces significant challenges in human capital development, and deprivations in health, education, nutrition, water, hygiene, sanitation, and child protection. This situation underscores the urgency for a comprehensive and effective social protection strategies.

In response to these challenges, the Government of Nigeria introduced a cash transfer program, providing 25,000 Naira over a three-month period to poor and vulnerable households. This initiative aims to alleviate immediate economic pressures and mitigate the socio-economic impact of recent economic reforms.

“Our goal is to create a comprehensive support network that addresses the multifaceted needs of children and families, ultimately leading to improved outcomes in health, education, and overall well-being. We must work together to bridge gaps and strengthen coordination,” said Mr. Wale Edun, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of Economy, emphasizing the importance of integrated social protection systems.

Cristian Munduate, UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, on behalf of the Social Protection Development Partners Group, stated, “Social protection is crucial in realizing the rights of every child. Child-sensitive social protection is key to ensuring that every child reaches their full potential. We commend the Government for significant strides for the development of several programs and single registry. However, there is a need to ensure stronger linkages between social protection and essential social services with focus on health, education, and nutrition.”

Despite advancements, social protection coverage remains low, with only 7 percent of children covered. Coordination mechanisms are weak, leading to fragmentation and inefficiency. Therefore, the summit aims to generate actionable insights and foster collaboration among key players to enhance coverage, coordination, and financing of social protection interventions.

In specific the objectives of the Summit include:

Raise Awareness: Highlight how social protection can mitigate poverty, enhance economic stability, and promote inclusive growth through social assistance (cash transfers), social security (health insurance), and labor market regulation).

Improve Delivery and Coordination: Propose measures to improve delivery and coordination mechanisms for effective coverage and impact of social protection programs.

Commitment to Financing: Elicit commitments from government bodies, international organizations, and private sector stakeholders on financing social protection initiatives through innovative financing mechanisms.

The Government of Nigeria, UNICEF, and partners reaffirmed their commitment to advancing social protection aligned with essential services for comprehensive support. A communique was signed to introduce Universal Child Benefit and increase public spending in social protection by 2 percent aiming to reduce multidimensional poverty and promote equitable development.