Financing Social Protection Interventions, Critical To Reducing Poverty, EU Informs FG, States

The European Union (EU) has urged federal and state governments to increase funding for social protection interventions, stating that they are critical to reducing poverty across the country.

Mr. Massimo De Luca, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS made the call on Friday during the third edition of the Social Protection Cross-Learning Summit (SPECS) in Abuja.

He described social protection as a fundamental pillar that supports the most vulnerable and poor households, serving as both a safety net and a beacon of hope for poor and vulnerable individuals and communities.

The Federal Ministry of Finance organised the Summit in collaboration with the Social Protection Development Partner Group (DPG) under the theme “Social Protection Towards Human Capital Development.”

According to De Luca, social protection is critical to human capital development because it provides safety nets that ensure access to essential services such as education, health, and nutrition, as well as contributing to economic stability, poverty reduction, and inclusive growth, thereby laying a solid foundation for the country’s overall development.

De Luca, citing a World Bank report that put Nigeria’s poor at 104 million or 46% in 2023, stated: “Investing in social protection means investing in our collective future, fostering resilience, and ensuring that every individual has the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to society regardless of background, location, or uncertainties.”

He reiterated the EU’s commitment to collaborating with the Federal Government to address poverty in the country.

He stated that the EU will invest €46 million in Nigeria’s social protection sector between 2021 and 2027, to support system strengthening and the design of social safety net programmes.

He stated: “We are already finalising processes with UNICEF and GIZ to implement the project in the focal states.”

De Luca also stated that the intervention would help to strengthen the social protection system, “which looks at interoperability of related databases and ensuring functional shock responsive social register while supporting three states in the North East with safety nets programme that targets climate change affected communities.”