The European Union (EU) has partnered with the Sokoto State Government to launch a €14 million Social Support for Social Inclusion programme, introducing a new child-sensitive social protection model aimed at empowering vulnerable households and improving access to essential services across the state.
The initiative, implemented by UNICEF and the International Labour Organisation (ILO), seeks to strengthen Nigeria’s social protection systems by improving targeting, data quality, and service delivery for children and families in high-poverty communities.
Speaking at the launch in Sokoto on Wednesday, UNICEF Deputy Representative, Ms. Rownak Khan, highlighted the persistent challenges of child poverty in Nigeria, describing it as “vast, widespread, and deeply multidimensional.”
“Monetary deprivation is only part of the story. Many children are out of school, lack access to healthcare, suffer from poor nutrition, have no legal identity, or are unvaccinated. These overlapping deprivations reinforce each other and have lifelong consequences that money alone cannot fix,” Khan explained.
Under the new model, the National Social Register will include expanded indicators covering out-of-school children, nutrition, health insurance coverage, birth registration, zero-dose immunisation, and vulnerability to shocks. Officials say this approach will improve planning, enable targeted service delivery, and provide robust grievance redress mechanisms, particularly in high-poverty local government areas.
Khan praised Sokoto State for piloting the initiative, noting, “The deliberate focus on high-poverty LGAs and the strengthened grievance mechanisms reflect a strong commitment to inclusive and shock-responsive systems.”
Sokoto State Governor, Ahmed Aliyu, reaffirmed his administration’s support for innovations in social protection, pledging sustained engagement to ensure the model delivers tangible benefits for children and families.
UNICEF’s Chief of Field Office in Sokoto, Mr. Michael Juma, said the rollout in Sokoto would serve as a template for other states, emphasising that community participation is critical to ensuring no household remains unseen or unreached.
Also in attendance were the EU’s Head of Cooperation in Nigeria, Mr. Massimo De Luca, and the EU’s Head of Human Development, Ms. Leila Ben Amor, who both reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to empowering vulnerable communities and improving outcomes for children.
Development partners expressed confidence that the reforms would generate measurable impact for households and children, contributing to a more resilient, inclusive, and effective social protection system in Nigeria.
