A groundbreaking two-day workshop aimed at strengthening social protection systems in Adamawa and Borno States officially commenced today at the Reiz Continental Hotel in Abuja, bringing together key stakeholders in Nigeria’s social protection sector. The workshop, organized by the GIZ Supporting Sustainable Social Protection, Participation and Economic Resilience in the North-East (SEPIN-SUSI) Programme in collaboration with Action Against Hunger Nigeria (ACF), represents a significant step forward in addressing the vulnerabilities faced by communities in Nigeria’s conflict-affected northeastern region.

The workshop brings together a diverse coalition of stakeholders, including representatives from the National Social Safety-Nets Coordinating Office (NASSCO), State Operations Coordinating Units (SOCUs), and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), all united in the common goal of improving social protection delivery in the two states.

Mr. Yimave Tekura Gyanggyang, Component Head of GIZ Social Protection, provided valuable context on the foundation already laid in the region. He highlighted several timely interventions that have already made a difference, including support for developing social protection legal frameworks and comprehensive capacity-building programs for stakeholders across the sector.

One of the workshop’s key focus areas is the expansion of the Social Register through innovative, community-driven approaches. Representatives from the SOCUs of both Adamawa and Borno States delivered detailed presentations on the Social Register expansion process, outlining the sophisticated yet accessible methodologies being employed.