By Victor Ahiuma-Young & Johnbosco Agbakwuru

Nigeria is set to take a leading role in strengthening social protection systems across West Africa as the country hosts the 2026 International Social Security Association (ISSA) West Africa Technical Seminar in Abuja, where regional stakeholders will confront persistent gaps in coverage, accessibility, and trust in social security systems.

The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, NSITF, says it is fully prepared to facilitate meaningful, solution-driven discussions aimed at improving social protection across the region and deepening collaboration among governments, employers, workers, and development partners.

The Managing Director of NSITF, Oluwaseun Faleye, gave the assurance on Tuesday during a media briefing ahead of the seminar, which is scheduled to take place in Abuja next week.

According to him, the seminar is not merely an event, but part of a broader regional effort to strengthen social protection systems across West Africa and ensure that more workers are brought under formal coverage.

“We look forward to welcoming stakeholders from across the region to Abuja. What we begin in Abuja is not just a conversation; it is a commitment to strengthening protection for millions of workers across West Africa,” Faleye said.

The seminar, themed “Improving Inclusiveness and Accessibility of Social Security Services through Effective Communication,” is expected to bring together social security institutions, policymakers, employers’ groups, workers’ representatives, and development partners, including organisations such as the International Labour Organization (ILO), the International Social Security Association (ISSA), the Federal Ministry of Labour, National Pension Commission, PenCom, NECA, MAN, the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, among others.

Faleye noted that while Nigeria has made notable progress in expanding its social security architecture—particularly through the Employees’ Compensation Scheme and broader workplace injury coverage—significant challenges remain in expanding access and improving awareness.

He stressed that the region’s social protection systems are under pressure to evolve, particularly as millions of workers in the informal sector remain outside formal coverage structures.

“The question is no longer whether social security is important, but how effectively we are delivering it,” he said, adding that “Nigeria, through NSITF, is honoured to host the ISSA West Africa Technical Seminar 2026.”

He explained that across West Africa, common structural challenges—including large informal economies, young and mobile populations, and rapidly evolving labour markets—make regional cooperation essential.

“This makes it essential to learn from one another and adapt solutions to our realities, not copy models blindly,” he added.
The NSITF MD also highlighted that the seminar will focus not only on policy frameworks but also on practical solutions to long-standing implementation challenges. He noted that in many cases, the issue is not the absence of schemes, but limited awareness, complex administrative processes, and low public trust in institutions.
“Communication is therefore not an add-on; it is central to expanding coverage and building confidence,” he said.
He further emphasised that strengthening social security requires shared responsibility among all stakeholders, including governments, institutions, employers, and workers. Governments, he said, must provide enabling policies, institutions must deliver efficiently, employers must comply, and workers must be informed and empowered.

According to him, the seminar is expected to produce practical recommendations for improving service delivery, strengthening institutional collaboration, and identifying effective communication strategies that can increase public trust and participation.

“Ultimately, the goal is to move from coverage in theory to coverage in reality,” he said.

The ISSA West Africa Technical Seminar 2026 is scheduled to hold at the Abuja Continental Hotel from 22 to 23 April 2026, with organisers expressing optimism that the outcomes will help accelerate social security inclusion across the region.

As West Africa grapples with widening protection gaps, Nigeria’s role as host is being viewed as a significant step toward shaping a more inclusive and responsive social security framework for the region’s growing workforce.