Growing old without security: rethinking pensions and social security in Nigeria

Nigeria faces a growing old age poverty risk as most workers, especially in the informal economy, lack reliable pension coverage. In this Perspective, Pietro Bonanome, Social Protection Specialist at Development Pathways, argues that the voluntary Micro Pension Plan and heavily targeted safety-net approach leave a large group of Nigerians without protection. He calls for a phased universal old-age pension, showing that international experience demonstrates such schemes are affordable and effective. The author concludes that Nigeria’s main constraint is political will, not fiscal feasibility, and urges a shift toward universal social security.