WIDENING ACCESS TO SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES PROVISION IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Social welfare services are policies and programmes provided by the state, non-governmental actors, private sector and community or individual initiatives to promote programmes and activities that enhance the welfare and wellbeing of the citizenry in the society. The provision of social welfare services has been weak and inadequate to cater for the growing population of Nigerians and lift the vulnerable and poor out of increasing multidimensional poverty. To achieve this, Nigeria has a draft on National Social Protection Policy which was revised for endorsement in 2021. This paper looked into how to widen access to social welfare services in Nigeria through Policy Enactment, Promotion of Inclusive Social Protection Systems, financing Building Social Network and Connecting Families, solving insecurity problems, accountability and Monitoring and Evaluation (M & E). Therefore, there is a dire need that government should partner with relevant development partners, non-governmental actors, private sector and community or individual initiatives to promote inclusive social protection systems, finance and increase accountability through policy enactment and monitoring and evaluation in a social network devoid of insecurity to widen access to the provision of social welfare services to the citizens.