Nigeria Boosts Social Protection Capacity with ILO’s TRANSFORM Training
The International Labour Organization (ILO), through the EU-funded SUSI project, delivered TRANSFORM trainings for policymakers and trainers in Abuja to strengthen Nigeria’s capacity for designing and managing inclusive social protection systems.
2 December 2025
Abuja, Nigeria – The International Labour Organization (ILO), in collaboration with the TRANSFORM Hub and with support from the European Union-funded Supporting Sustainable Social Protection Systems in Nigeria (SUSI) project, has successfully concluded two transformative capacity-building trainings aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s social protection architecture.
The initiative featured two key components: a two-day Policymakers Training attended by 30 participants and an eight-day Training of Trainers (ToT) for 25 participants. These sessions convened government officials, social partners, civil society organizations, development partners, and academics from national and subnational levels, including Abia, Benue, Oyo, and Sokoto States.
The TRANSFORM Leadership Training is an ILO flagship programme designed to build leadership and technical capacities for sustainable social protection systems across Africa and the Arab region. Using an experiential, action-based learning approach, the training equips participants to design and implement social protection floors that guarantee basic security and prevent poverty and exclusion.
The Policymakers module provided decision-makers with the tools to champion social protection policy development and implementation at all levels. The Training of Trainers module created a cohort of national master trainers who will replicate the training within their states, ensuring long-term institutional capacity for social protection in Nigeria. Both trainings were delivered by accredited TRANSFORM Master Trainers and structured to promote transformational change in policies and programmes.
This training will result in a cohort of social protection champions at federal and state levels who will work together to expand coverage, improve coordination, and make social protection more effective and inclusive.
Vanessa Phala - Director of the ILO Country Office for Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Liaison Office for ECOWAS
This is a crucial step toward building the technical capacity and shared understanding needed to make social protection a living reality for all Nigerians.
Mrs. Franca Adiekweh - Director of Social Security and Cooperative Development at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment
Chioma Osuji - European Union representative
The EU’s funding of this project underscores its dedication to supporting Nigeria’s efforts toward inclusive growth, poverty reduction, and sustainable development through effective social protection systems.
Participants reported significant gains in technical knowledge, leadership skills, and strategic thinking. One participant remarked that “The training significantly improved my insight and technical knowledge on social protection.” Another added, “The experience inspired a positive mindset shift in my leadership approach, promoting more inclusive and strategic thinking.”
Through these trainings, Nigeria now has a stronger foundation for implementing social protection floors, expanding coverage, and improving service delivery. The initiative aligns with Nigeria’s national development priorities, the ILO Decent Work Country Programme, the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework, and the Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
By institutionalizing the TRANSFORM model, the ILO and its partners are empowering policymakers and practitioners to lead the charge in building a more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable social protection system for all Nigerians.