Workers’ organisations and civil society groups under the Citizen Coalition for Social Protection (CCSP) have called for social pensions, subsidised healthcare, and unemployment support for informal workers and vulnerable Nigerians in the country’s proposed National Social Protection Policy 2026–2030.

The coalition also demanded government matching contributions to the Micro Pension Plan to make pension savings more accessible and attractive to workers in informal employment.

These were among the key resolutions reached at a two-day meeting of the coalition held from August 31 to September 1, 2026, in Abuja, where participants deliberated on strategies to strengthen social protection coverage for workers and vulnerable populations, with emphasis on the informal sector.

The coalition said workers in informal employment make up a significant share of Nigeria’s workforce but remain largely excluded from adequate and sustainable social protection mechanisms.

It therefore called for the adoption and implementation, by December 2026, of a strengthened social protection framework that addresses the realities of informal workers and other vulnerable groups.

Specifically, the coalition demanded the establishment of social pensions or grants for older persons, persons living with disabilities and other vulnerable people who have no access to contributory pension schemes.

It also called for free or adequately subsidised health coverage for pregnant women, persons living with disabilities, children under five, and older persons. It urged the government to expand affordable health insurance coverage for informal workers progressively.

On unemployment, the coalition advocated increased investment in public works, targeted grants and income-support schemes, vocational and technical skills training, entrepreneurship and livelihood support, and other labour-market interventions.

The coalition further called for the progressive extension of occupational health and safety, workplace accident protection, survivors’ benefits and other provisions of the Employees’ Compensation Act 2010 to workers in informal employment.

It said affordable and accessible childcare facilities, including crèches, should also be provided within or close to informal work clusters to enable workers, particularly women, to participate safely and productively in economic activities.

The coalition said its overall goal was to ensure that by 2030, basic social protection coverage would be progressively extended to informal workers, covering old-age income security, disability support, maternity protection, child protection, health insurance, unemployment support and decent work protections.

To strengthen its campaign, the coalition said it would collect evidence on social protection gaps affecting informal workers, including access to pensions, healthcare, maternity protection, disability support, childcare, unemployment assistance and occupational safety.

It would also document informal workers’ experiences and use the evidence to inform policy engagement with government and other decision-makers.

The coalition said it would develop a Social Protection Advocacy Position Paper, briefing notes and other advocacy materials outlining policy gaps and specific demands, while ensuring that the experiences of informal workers were reflected in its recommendations.

It also pledged to build partnerships with trade unions, informal workers’ organisations, civil society groups, development agencies, faith-based organisations, academia, policy experts and the media.

The coalition urged the Federal and state governments, local authorities, development partners, organised labour, civil society and other stakeholders to support efforts to build an inclusive and sustainable social protection system that guarantees dignity, security and decent livelihoods for Nigerians.