A new report from the Nigeria Labour Force Survey, released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), has revealed that just 26.3 per cent of Nigerian workers are covered by both pension plans and health insurance in 2023.
The report paints a stark picture of the nation’s social security system, highlighting wide disparities across states. Zamfara, in the Northwest region, leads the country with the highest percentage of employees enjoying these benefits, recording 65.9 per cent. In contrast, Abia State in the Southeast trails significantly with just 3.9 per cent of its wage employees having access to pension and health insurance.
The NBS report noted, “The percentage of employees entitled to either pension or health insurance schemes in Nigeria stood at 26.3 per cent. Zamfara state had the highest (65.9%), while Abia had the lowest, 3.9 per cent.”
These figures have sparked concerns about the limited social safety nets available to the majority of Nigerian workers, particularly in the informal sector, where access to health insurance and retirement savings remains critically low.
Experts have called for more robust policies to address these inequalities and ensure better coverage for employees across the country.
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