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From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi has announced plans by the Federal Government to extend social protection coverage to over 60 million Nigerians working in the informal economy, as part of efforts to strengthen inclusion, safeguard livelihoods and reduce vulnerability among low-income households.
The Minister made this disclosure in Abuja during a two-day national dialogue on expanding social protection to informal workers.
He said the Federal Government is taking concrete steps to address decades of exclusion affecting millions of Nigerians who earn a living in markets, farms, workshops, roadside enterprises and other informal settings.
“Today, we write a new chapter in our collective journey to give dignity, inclusion, and protection to the over 60 million Nigerians who make up our informal economy,” the minister stated.
Dingyadi pointed out that in many developing nations especially in sub-saharan Africa the informal economy constitutes the lion’s share of the workforce, noting that Nigeria is no exception.
He said by some estimates, more than 65 percent of Nigeria’s employed population work outside of formal contracts and formal protections.
He said: “These are our traders in open markets and kiosks, farmers and fisherfolk, transport workers, okada riders, keke drivers, tailors, artisans, vulcanizers, domestic workers, caregivers, street sweepers, digital freelancers, and millions more who contribute daily to our economy
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“Yet these workers are too often excluded from pensions, health insurance, maternity protection, unemployment relief, workplace injury compensation, and access to finance, we cannot build a just equitable, or resilient Nigeria when such a large portion of our workforce is left vulnerable, he mentioned.”
The Minister further stated that the Federal Government believes that every Nigerian deserves opportunity, safety and dignity regardless of social status, income level or sector of employment.
He said: “Under the visionary leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, the Renewed Hope Agenda is more than a political mandate; it is a social contract with the Nigerian people.”
He restated the Federal Government commitment to closing the gap through technology-enabled systems.
He listed ongoing initiatives to include the expansion of the National Health Insurance Authority and the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund to cover informal workers through mobile platforms designed for easy and flexible access.
The minister added that the micro pension plan driven by PENCOM and the National Bureau of Statistics would deepen pension inclusion:
He said: “Social protection is not charity, it is a human right and responsibility of the state to ensure a minimum floor of protection for all especially the most vulnerable; adding that efforts of all social protection stakeholders must be put in place to bring a positive transformation in the informal economy.”
