Review Interrogating Social Welfare in Nigeria: Problems and Prospects

Authors

  • Godwin E. Essoh Department of Industrial Relations & Personnel Management Ritman University, Ikot Ekpene Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.56778/rss.v1i3.709

Keywords:

Social welfare, social policy, social change, great depression, welfare state

Abstract

While social welfare systems are deeply institutionalized in the developed world, they remain marginalized in developing nations due to infrastructure deficits and political volatility. Despite its vast natural resource wealth, Nigeria's social protection framework is rudimentary and exclusionary, leaving the vulnerable majority unprotected and compounding underdevelopment. This paper critically interrogates the structural root causes of Nigeria's welfare deficits, aiming to evaluate the institutional bottlenecks hindering equitable delivery and map out prospects for policy reform. Utilizing a qualitative policy review approach, the study analyzes national protection frameworks and economic indicators. The findings reveal that welfare delivery is severely crippled by systemic corruption, fiscal vulnerability due to oil dependence, and data inaccuracy. However, prospects exist through the institutionalization of ad hoc programs and digital FinTech integration for transparent distribution. The study concludes that a fundamental paradigm shift is required to dismantle these exclusionary structures. It implies that the international community and global donor agencies must strategically integrate strict social welfare benchmarks into their frameworks for good governance. In this way, developing nations like Nigeria can convert social security from a political afterthought into a guaranteed reality for the population.

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Published

2026-05-29

How to Cite

Essoh, G. E. (2026). Review Interrogating Social Welfare in Nigeria: Problems and Prospects . RADINKA IN SOCIAL SCIENCE, 1(3), 144–153. https://doi.org/10.56778/rss.v1i3.709

Issue

Vol. 1 No. 3 (2026): Radinka in Social Science

Section

A Literature Review

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