Act Naij! Project Unveils Advisory Group To Strengthen Social Protection System

The Act Naij! Project has launched an Advisory Working Group aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s social protection system.

The initiative, coordinated by the Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ) in collaboration with partners such as the New Initiative for Social Development (NISD) and Bread for the World, Germany, is funded by the European Union.

The executive director of ANEEJ, Rev. David Ugolor, stated that social protection remained a key instrument in addressing poverty and fostering inclusive growth among vulnerable Nigerians.

Ugolor, while speaking at the inaugural Act Naij! The Project Advisory Working Group Meeting in Abuja on Tuesday noted that all hands must be on deck to achieve social protection for Nigerians affected by multidimensional poverty.

The advisory group serves as a crucial platform to align policies, practices, and partnerships, ensuring sustained impact across the seven Nigerian states involved—Kogi, Enugu, Delta, Borno, Ekiti, Osun, and Ondo—as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). It focuses on enhancing social protection through collaboration among the government, civil society, and development partners, aiming to reduce poverty and promote inclusive growth.

“We recognise that social protection remains a key instrument for breaking the cycle of poverty, promoting human dignity, and fostering inclusive growth.

“However, its success depends on effective coordination among all stakeholders – government, civil society, private sector, and development partners.

“The National Steering Committee we inaugurate today is therefore an essential mechanism for aligning policy, practice, and partnership toward achieving sustainable outcomes,” he added.

According to Ugolor, the Act Naija! The Project – Civil Society Action to Strengthen Social Protection in Nigeria is not just another development initiative, but a collaborative platform that brings together government actors, civil society organisations, and development partners to promote inclusive, sustainable, and accountable social protection delivery across the federation.

He stated that the project was being implemented across seven states, which include Kogi, Enugu, Delta, Borno, Ekiti, Osun, Ondo and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), which is set to strengthen inclusive social protection systems in Nigeria through civil society advocacy, citizen engagement, and institutional accountability for poverty reduction.

He emphasised that the inaugurated committee marks a significant milestone in their collective effort to strengthen Nigeria’s social protection system and ensure that no citizen is left behind.

Ugolor noted that the committee was an essential mechanism for aligning policy, practice, and partnerships to achieve sustainable outcomes, adding that they are committed to supporting the ministry and state governments in strengthening their policy frameworks.

The project is co-funded by the European Union and implemented by a consortium comprising the ANEEJ, the New Initiative for Social Development (NISD), and Bread for the World (BfdW), Germany.

Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Benard M. Doro, on his part, reaffirmed that under the Renewed Hope Agenda, the ministry is implementing flagship social protection initiatives that empower vulnerable populations, support livelihoods, and promote economic inclusion.

Doro, represented by his special adviser, Abimbola Fashanu, highlighted the programmes such as

Conditional Cash Transfers, the Grant for Vulnerable Groups, N-Power, GEEP, Home-Grown School Feeding, and National Social Safety-Net Coordination.

He noted that through these programmes, over 19.78 million households had been verified in the National Social Register, 5.5 million households currently benefit from cash transfers, and microcredit schemes are supporting the livelihoods of over five million Nigerians, with strong participation from women and youth across all 774 local government areas.

Doro emphasised that the Ministry was collaborating with key stakeholders to review and update the National Social Protection Policy (NSPP), ensuring it reflects the evolving socio-economic realities across all six geopolitical zones and aligns with the government’s strategic priorities.