A legal practitioner and Fellow of the Institute of Leadership, Coaching and Strategy (FILCS), Kehinde Hasaan Bamiwola, has described social security in Nigeria as “more of a myth than a reality”, citing the limited coverage of workers and weaknesses in the country’s social protection framework.
Bamiwola made the assertion while delivering a paper titled “Social Security in Nigeria: A Myth or Reality?” at the fifth monthly webinar series of the Institute of Leadership, Coaching and Strategy, held virtually on September 18, 2026.
The webinar was declared open by the President and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Institute, Dr. Olasunkade Azeez, FILCS, who said the subject was critical to questions of rights, justice, economic security, responsible governance, social inclusion and sustainable national development.
Bamiwola, a solicitor and advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, said social security should provide economic security and social welfare to individuals and their families when normal income ceases because of retirement, unemployment, redundancy, death, industrial injury or occupational disease.
He noted that, under the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention 102 of 1952, social security encompasses nine major areas: medical care, sickness, unemployment, old-age, employment injury, family, maternity, invalidity and survivors’ benefits.
According to him, the three principal forms of social security are labour market intervention, social insurance and social assistance based on government policies and programmes.
Nigeria’s coverage remains limited
Bamiwola said Nigeria’s large informal economy remains a major obstacle to effective social security coverage.
Citing statistics he attributed to the World Bank, National Bureau of Statistics and ILO, he said Nigeria had a workforce of about 113.3 million people, with only about 27.5 per cent in the formal economy.
He further cited NBS data indicating that self-employed persons account for about 85 per cent of Nigeria’s working population, while putting the proportion of workers in the informal sector at between 92 and 93 per cent.
He said ILO data indicated that only about 11 to 14 per cent of Nigeria’s workforce was covered by social protection policies.
“Thus, it is obvious that about 97 million workers are not protected by the social security system,” he said.
Bamiwola consequently argued that, based on the level of coverage, social security could hardly be described as a reality for the majority of Nigerians.
*Nigeria yet to ratify key ILO convention*
The legal expert identified Nigeria’s failure to ratify the ILO Social Security (Minimum Standards) Convention No. 102 of 1952 as one of the gaps in the country’s social security framework.
He, however, noted that Nigeria had ratified the Occupational Safety and Health Convention No. 155 of 1981 on May 3, 1994.
At the domestic level, he identified the Employees’ Compensation Act 2010, Pension Reform Act 2014, Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund Act and other enactments as part of Nigeria’s existing social protection framework.
Bamiwola said the Employees’ Compensation Act was designed to provide an open and fair system of guaranteed compensation for employees who suffer work-related injuries, disabilities or occupational diseases.
However, he identified procedural requirements and other practical impediments that could make it difficult for affected employees or dependants to access compensation.
He said employees or dependants are required to notify the employer of an injury, occupational disease or death within stipulated periods, while employers are also required to report such cases to the relevant authorities.
According to him, the effectiveness of the law should therefore be assessed not only by its provisions but also by the ease with which affected workers can access their entitlements.
*Pension system requires review*
The speaker also subjected the Pension Reform Act 2014 to critical examination, particularly the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).
He recalled that Nigeria previously operated a Defined Benefit Scheme before the introduction of the contributory system, noting that the CPS requires both employers and employees to contribute to an individual Retirement Savings Account (RSA).
He said the Pension Reform Act was intended to improve the welfare and retirement security of workers but questioned whether the current framework remained adequate in view of changing economic conditions.
Bamiwola called for a review of the pension law, arguing that legislation governing social security should be periodically reviewed to ensure that it reflects prevailing economic realities.
He also raised questions concerning access to pension savings, investment returns, transparency of RSA management, benefits payable to survivors and the adequacy of retirement benefits.
He advocated consideration of reforms that would address concerns raised by workers, including personnel of the police and other institutions covered by the pension scheme.
*Calls for unified Social Security Act*
Bamiwola recommended the harmonisation of Nigeria’s various social security laws into a comprehensive Social Security Act.
He argued that existing provisions contained in the Employees’ Compensation Act, Pension Reform Act, Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund Act and other enactments should be brought together under a coherent legal framework.
According to him, the country needs to move away from a situation where there are several laws but weak enforcement mechanisms.
“There should be avoidance of multiplicity of enactments. Too many laws; few enforcement mechanisms,” he said.
He also called for the establishment of effective enforcement mechanisms, greater public awareness of workers’ rights, reforms to procedures for claiming compensation and a review of compensation scales.
The legal practitioner further urged the National Assembly to sponsor legislation capable of establishing an efficient social security system covering the unemployed, elderly, vulnerable persons and other categories of Nigerians.
*Azeez: Leadership must translate policy into outcomes*
Earlier, Azeez said the existence of laws and institutions alone did not amount to effective social security.
He said the key questions should include who was covered, what rights were legally enforceable, what remedies were available when rights were denied and to what extent the existing framework translated into meaningful protection for ordinary Nigerians.
“Leadership is not simply about occupying positions of authority. It is about creating systems that improve the quality of human life and building institutions that remain responsive to the needs of society,” Azeez said.
He noted that sustainable social security required adequate financing, sound public policy, effective institutions, responsible leadership, transparency and accountability.
Azeez said the Institute considered the issue particularly relevant to its mandate of promoting leadership, coaching and strategic thinking.
He urged participants to use the webinar to identify gaps in Nigeria’s social protection architecture and explore practical ways of transforming social security policies into accessible and sustainable outcomes.
He expressed confidence that Bamiwola’s presentation would deepen understanding of the legal, social and institutional dimensions of social security in Nigeria.
The Institute said it would continue to provide platforms for intellectual discourse, professional development and strategic conversations on issues affecting leadership and national development.