Federal Government Plans Social Protection for Informal Workers

12 hours ago

Federal Government Plans Social Protection for Informal Workers

As part of efforts to strengthen and safeguard livelihoods and reduce vulnerability among low income households, the Federal Government plans to extend social protection to about 60 million Nigerians working in the informal economy.

The plan was made public in Abuja by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Mohamed Dingyadi during a two-day national dialogue on extending social protection to informal workers.

The Minister disclosed that estimates put the number of Nigeria’s employed population working outside of formal contracts and formal protection at 65 percent.

He identified them as traders in open markets and kiosks, farmers and fisherfolks, transport workers, drivers, tailors, artisans, domestic workers, care givers and millions more who contribute daily to the nation’s economy.

He regretted that these categories of workers were excluded from pensions, health insurance maternity protection, unemployment relief, work force injury compensation among other forms of social protection.

He said further that they were also denied access to finance and that the country could not build a just, resilient and equitable society with such a large portion of the workforce left vulnerable.