NATIONAL SOCIAL PROTECTION POLICY (NSPP)

A Policy outlines Nigeria's framework for social protection to reduce poverty and support vulnerable citizens. It targets the poor and vulnerable at different life stages for universal coverage. This promotes a dignified life through sustainable social support.

What Is This Policy?

The National Social Protection Policy (NSPP) sometimes referred to with an additional "D" for Development or Draft is Nigeria’s central framework designed to reduce poverty and provide a "life of dignity" for its most vulnerable citizens.

Who Does It Target?

The NSPP adopts a "Life Cycle Approach," meaning it identifies specific risks people face at different stages of life. While the ultimate goal is universal coverage for all Nigerians, the policy specifically prioritizes the poor and vulnerable.

What Does It Aim to Achieve?

The National Social Protection Policy (NSPP) is built on the belief that "no Nigerian should live below a life of dignity." To achieve this, it sets out clear short-term and long-term goals that transform social support from a "charity" model to a systematic "right" of the citizen.

Key Features

The Life Cycle Approach The National Social Register (NSR) Integrated Financing Mechanism

Current Status

Rollout Stage: Scale-Up and Institutionalization phase Coverage: applies nationwide Beneficiaries to Date: A big percentage of Nigeria’s population Funding: $800 Million World Bank Facility, Federal Resources.

Important Terms

Term 1-The National Social Register (NSR) This is the "Master Database." It contains the names and details of all poor and vulnerable households in Nigeria. It is built using "Community-Based Targeting," where locals help identify the neediest among them. 2. Proxy Means Testing (PMT) Since many people in the informal sector don't have pay stubs or tax records, the government uses PMT to estimate their income.

How it works: Enumerators look at "proxies" like the type of roof on a house, ownership of a radio/phone, or access to clean water to determine if a household qualifies as "poor."

Shock-Responsive Social Protection (SRSP) This refers to a system that can expand quickly during a crisis.

Example: If a major flood hits a state or inflation spikes suddenly, an SRSP system allows the government to instantly identify affected people in the NSR and send them emergency "top-up" payments.

Official Resources

National Social Safety Net Coordinating Office (NASSCO) NASSCO is the lead agency responsible for coordinating social safety net programs and managing the National Social Register (NSR).

Official Website: https://nassp.gov.ng
Head Office: 76, Ali Akilu Crescent, State House, Abuja, Nigeria.
Email: [email protected]
Toll-Free Grievance Line: 969

National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA) NSIPA oversees the actual implementation of flagship programs like N-Power, Conditional Cash Transfers (CCT), and the School Feeding program.

Official Website: https://nsipa.gov.ng
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +234 802 126 6483 | +234 806 199 5335

Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction This is the supervisory ministry for both NASSCO and NSIPA.

Official Website: fmhds.gov.ng
Address: Federal Secretariat, Phase 1, Complex, Shehu Shagari Way, Abuja. Link to document

Legal Framework

Operates under the National Social Investment Programme framework, the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007, the National Health Insurance Authority Act 2022, and the National Pension Commission Act. Draws on the ILO Social Protection Floors Recommendation (No. 202), the African Union Social Policy Framework, and the World Bank social protection and labour strategy.