Policy Seminar on Social Protection Programmes in Nigeria

 Introduction

Poverty, social exclusion, economic marginalisation and vulnerability (both nominal systemic) are crucial socioeconomic challenges faced by societies and economies in the developing world. Recent and current waves of global economic shocks have underscored the need for countries to reinvent the mechanisms and phenomena for social protection, equitable development and balanced growth. Though countries have existing social protection systems, many are already stressed by the global economic shocks and the attendant social ripple-effects.

Social protection policies and programmes refer to initiatives that deliberately seek to protect people and groups against risk and vulnerability, mitigate the impacts of shocks on livelihoods, and support people who suffer from chronic incapacities to secure basic livelihoods. In Nigeria, social protection policy initiatives cover employment, health, poverty, pension and education sectors. Some of the initiatives include the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) and others. While these schemes have been in operation for some time now, there is need to undertake a critical examination on coverage, effectiveness and sustainability. Examining these parameters will enable better understanding of the opportunities and challenges associated with these initiatives and strategies and measures to enhance their impact.

Rationale and Objectives

Against this backdrop, the African Institute for Applied Economics (AIAE) is carrying out a study on the social protection policy initiatives in Nigeria. Within the framework of ensuring the policy relevance and stakeholder scrutiny of its policy research, the Institute is convening a stakeholder’s forum.

The Policy Seminar will feature the presentation of the early work-in-progress of the research project and elicit feedback and perspectives from policy officials, NGOs and relevant stakeholders to make the research more useful to policy community.The Seminar will also review government efforts on social protection policy through its agencies vis a vis international best practices, and analyse and proffer solutions to the challenges being faced by the implementers, operators and participants of the programmes.

Participants

Participants are drawn from the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on MDGs (OSSAP-MDGs), National Health Insurance Scheme, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), National Programme for Poverty Eradication (NAPEP), National Planning Commission, National Pension Commission, Pension Funds Administrators, National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Insurance Companies, NGOs, CSOs and others.

The Policy Seminar will hold as follows:

Date: 29th February, 2012
Venue: Valencia Hotel, 44 Blantyre, Wuse II,off Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent, Abuja.
Time: 9.30am.

Please confirm participation through: Beatrice 08037582893 or Gloria 08038925624

Download Invitation Letter