Informal Workers Demand Inclusion in Social Protection Bill at National Assembly

Nigerians operating within the informal sector have appealed to the Federal Government to ensure their inclusion in the proposed social protection bill currently under consideration by the National Assembly.

To emphasize their demand, concerned citizens under the umbrella of the Federation of Informal Workers Organization of Nigeria (FIWON) staged a peaceful march to the National Assembly complex in Abuja.
In an interview with Kapital FM, the General Secretary of the organization, Comrade Gbenga Komolafe, expressed concern that a large number of Nigerians in the informal sector are not covered by any form of health insurance, unlike the relatively few in the formal sector.
He noted that the appeal is a national security imperative, stressing that it would help reduce maternal and child mortality, alleviate poverty, and guarantee social protection for all Nigerians, particularly the elderly.

Comrade Komolafe further explained that the peaceful procession, which began at Eagle Square and moved through the Central Area to the entrance of the National Assembly, was intended to draw the government’s attention to the urgent need to include informal sector workers in the ongoing legislative process.
Similarly, the FCT Chairperson of FIWON, Comrade Blessing Yusuf, lamented the high mortality rate among informal workers, attributing it to the lack of effective health coverage.