By Michael Oche
The International Labour Organisation (ILO), with support from the European Union (EU), has trained and certified 21 social protection specialists to strengthen Nigeria’s social protection system.
The development comes as recent data continues to highlight deepening socio-economic disparities across the country, underscoring the urgency of building effective and inclusive safety nets for vulnerable populations.
Speaking in Abuja at the TRANSFORM Certificate Issuance Ceremony, ILO Country Director for Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone, Vanessa Phala-Moyo, said the initiative was designed to equip professionals with the technical expertise required to design, implement, and manage social protection programmes.
“The training is aimed at equipping professionals with the skills to design, implement and effectively manage social protection interventions.
“It is about building a strong pool of experts who can strengthen institutions and improve service delivery across the country.
“We want to ensure that the capacity we are building translates into real impact for vulnerable populations,” she said.
According to her, the TRANSFORM initiative, developed in 2016 at the request of the African Union, has trained over 5,000 specialists across 30 African countries.
She explained that the programme was implemented through a joint partnership involving the ILO and other UN agencies, including UNICEF, World Food Programme (WFP), Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Phala-Moyo said the newly certified trainers formed part of a growing network of experts expected to drive inclusive policies and strengthen institutions in Nigeria.
She urged beneficiaries to utilise the knowledge acquired to train others and expand the reach of social protection interventions, particularly among vulnerable groups.
“The certificate you are receiving is not just a participation document but a professional recognition of your competence as practitioners in social protection,” she said.
She reaffirmed the ILO’s commitment to providing platforms and support for certified trainers to apply their skills toward national development.
Phala-Moyo expressed confidence that the initiative would promote social protection as a key strategy for poverty reduction and inclusive development.
Mrs Chioma Osuji, representative of the European Union, said the EU remained committed to supporting Nigeria in strengthening its social protection systems through strategic partnerships and capacity-building initiatives.
Osuji said the EU-funded SUSI project was designed to enhance institutional frameworks and improve service delivery for vulnerable populations.
She noted that investment in human capacity through initiatives such as the TRANSFORM training was critical to ensuring sustainable and inclusive social protection interventions nationwide.
According to her, the certification of new trainers will expand knowledge at the grassroots and deepen the impact of social protection programmes across the country.
Osuji expressed confidence that collaboration between the EU, ILO and other partners would continue to yield positive outcomes in reducing poverty and inequality in Nigeria.
