European Union (EU) with UNICEF, ILO, and Abia State partner to expand safety nets for Nigeria’s most vulnerable under EU-backed SUSI initiative.
A €13 million European Union-backed project aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s social protection system has been launched in Abia State, with United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the International Labor Organization (ILO), and the Abia government serving as key partners.
The initiative — known as the Social Protection System Strengthening Project (SUSI) — will run from 2024 to 2027 across Abia, Benue, Oyo, Sokoto, and the Federal Capital Territory. Its goal is to expand safety nets for poor and vulnerable households and build resilient systems that leave no one behind.
Speaking at the launch event in Umuahia, UNICEF’s Representative in Nigeria, Wafaa Saeed, described the project as “more than a project, but a promise that families and children will not fall through the cracks.” Saeed noted that only 14.8% of Nigerians currently have access to effective social protection, leaving millions exposed to poverty, economic shocks, and hardship.
“Social protection is not just a safety net; it is a springboard that allows people to live with dignity, to grow, and to thrive,” she said, urging stakeholders to see the launch as the beginning of a movement that affirms the dignity and rights of every Nigerian.
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EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, said the investment aligns with the EU’s wider development agenda in education, health, gender equality, and economic growth. “When a family has access to safety nets, it reduces inequality and poverty levels,” he said, while formally handing over ICT equipment to the state to help update and expand its social register.
Abia State Governor Alex Otti inaugurated the state’s Social Protection Council during the ceremony, pledging to strengthen policies that support vulnerable groups. He highlighted existing initiatives, including the Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, the Welfare Commission for Disabled Persons, and the Senior Citizen Centre, as part of his government’s efforts to tackle deprivation.
ILO Country Director Vanessa Phala-Moyo praised the partnership, linking it to Nigeria’s national Renewed Hope Agenda, and pledged ILO’s commitment to delivering social safety nets that reach the country’s most at-risk communities.
The event brought together senior government officials, EU representatives, and development partners. UNICEF Chief of Field Services Judith Leveillee reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to full implementation of the project in Abia and beyond, calling the collaboration with ILO a “powerful alliance for social justice.”
