West Africa Revives Social Security Committee to Protect Millions of Migrant Workers
Regional initiative aims to secure benefits portability across borders in one of Africa’s most dynamic labor markets
LAGOS – In a significant move for regional labor rights, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has reactivated its Committee of Experts on Social Security (CESS) following a four-day strategic meeting in Lagos, Nigeria, signaling renewed commitment to protecting migrant workers across the 15-member bloc.
Bridging the Protection Gap for Mobile Workers
The reactivation comes at a critical juncture for West Africa, where labor migration represents both an economic lifeline and a vulnerability for millions of workers moving between countries in search of employment. The region’s porous borders and economic interdependence have created one of Africa’s most dynamic labor markets, yet social protection systems have largely remained confined within national boundaries.
“This isn’t just about policy coordination—it’s about ensuring that a nurse from Ghana working in Nigeria doesn’t lose her pension rights, or that a construction worker from Niger employed in Côte d’Ivoire can access healthcare for his family,” explained regional labor analyst Amadou Diallo, who has followed ECOWAS social protection initiatives for over a decade.
The ECOWAS General Convention: A Framework for Change
At the heart of the committee’s mandate is the implementation of the ECOWAS General Convention on Social Security, developed in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO). The convention aims to coordinate national social security systems, guaranteeing equal treatment and benefit portability for migrant workers moving between member states.
During the Lagos meeting, Dr. Alves D’Almada Fernando Jorge, representing ECOWAS leadership, emphasized that “migration is a central pillar of ECOWAS’s regional integration agenda” and that the convention was specifically designed to “guarantee equal treatment and social security portability for migrant workers across the region.”
The technical working groups established during the meeting will focus on practical implementation challenges, including how to handle contributions made in different countries and how to verify eligibility across borders.
Tackling the Informal Economy Challenge
Perhaps the most significant hurdle facing the initiative is the region’s vast informal economy. According to ILO estimates, over 80% of employment in sub-Saharan Africa is informal, with migrant workers particularly vulnerable to exploitation and exclusion from social protection.
Dr. Vanessa Phala, Director of the ILO Office for Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Liaison Office for ECOWAS, stressed that “social protection is both a human right and an economic necessity” during her opening statement, highlighting the need to “extend coverage to migrant and informal workers as a foundation for inclusive growth and regional integration.”
The committee validated a Social Protection Policy Brief that addresses these challenges, though specific strategies for reaching informal workers remain to be fully articulated.
Regional Solidarity in Practice
The reactivated committee represents a practical manifestation of regional solidarity, aligning with both the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and international labor standards. Mr. Duraman Maada Songo, chairing the meeting on behalf of Sierra Leone’s Minister of Employment, Labour and Social Security, called social security “a fundamental human right and a cornerstone of social justice essential for inclusive development in West Africa.”
Successful models from Ghana, South Africa, and Kenya were cited as evidence that progress is achievable with strong political will. These countries have implemented various forms of portable benefits and expanded social protection, though comprehensive regional coordination remains unprecedented in scale.
The Road Ahead: Implementation and Innovation
The committee faces substantial technical and political challenges in the coming months. Key among them will be developing sustainable financing mechanisms, strengthening governance through digital tools, and ensuring systems are sensitive to gender and disability considerations.
Digital innovation may prove crucial. “Technology could leapfrog some of the administrative barriers that have hampered previous efforts,” noted technology policy expert Fatimata Bâ. “Mobile money platforms, digital identity systems, and blockchain technology could all play roles in creating verifiable, portable social security records.”
The committee’s success will ultimately be measured by its ability to translate high-level agreements into tangible benefits for the millions of West Africans whose livelihoods depend on cross-border movement.
This report is based on information from the ECOWAS Commission as the primary source.