EU supports Nigeria’s social protection with €13m

The European Union (EU) has donated the sum of €46 million to fund the Sustainable Social Protection System in Nigeria.

Mr Gautier Mignot, the EU Ambassador to Nigeria revealed this on March 13, 2025, at the launch of the programme at the United Nations House in Abuja.

Mignot explained that the funding would support the expansion and digitalisation of the National Social Register as part of the project, which would be implemented by UNICEF and the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

“It will include improved mechanisms to create a strong, responsive system that serves as a tool for policy planning toward poverty reduction, while also being interoperable with other related databases.

“We are fully aware of the importance of social protection in addressing poverty, empowering individuals, fostering social inclusion, and promoting resilience in the face of emergencies,” he said.

The intervention programme was conceived by the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning and the European Union (EU).

This is geared towards strengthening the gaps in the national social protection register as a planning tool.

The programme which will be implemented initially in the states of Abia, Benue, Oyo and Sokoto for a period of three years, aims to enhance the shock responsiveness of the system at the federal and state levels.

Sen. Abubakar Bagudu, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, lauded the EU’s support for the Sustainable and Innovative Social Protection Programme (EU-SUSI) in Nigeria.

Bagudu noted that the programme would help strengthen gaps in the National Social Protection Register and improve community resilience across different states.

He also highlighted the Nigerian government’s efforts to improve its social protection framework through policy reforms, strategic partnerships, and targeted interventions.

Alhaji Muhammad Dingyadi, Minister of Labour and Employment, called the initiative a significant step toward building a resilient and inclusive social protection system.

He reaffirmed the role of social protection in ensuring decent work, protecting workers from vulnerabilities, and supporting economic participation, which are essential to Nigeria’s national development.

UNICEF in collaboration with the International Labour Organisation (ILO), have been committed in supporting social protection in Nigeria through policy advisory services.

This program is design to deliver assistance to those in need.

It will be implemented in the country through the Ministries of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation and Labour and Employment.

For Diaspora Digital Media Updates click on Whatsapp, or Telegram. For eyewitness accounts/ reports/ articles, write to: citizenreports@diasporadigitalmedia.com. Follow us on X (Fomerly Twitter) or Facebook