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The economy of Enugu State is situated in the South East geopolitical region of Nigeria and had depended on its coal deposit for many years before the discovery of oil in commercial quantity in Nigeria. Presently the economy is based on agriculture that is largely dominated by Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and civil service functionaries. There have been some deliberate policies aimed at developing an economy that is largely driven by the private sector, while aspiring towards the provision of realistic opportunities to a cross section of the population to actively contribute towards the development of the State. Whereas a substantial portion of the civil service functionaries benefit from some form of social security from Federal and State Governments initiatives, there is not yet a corresponding policy framework to carter for the social security coverage of actors of the private sector that is envisaged to become the bedrock of the economy of the State. A policy for the provision of sustainable social nets becomes even more urgent in view of plans of the State Government to astronomically grow the small and medium enterprises, because a substantial number of these SMEs do not yet have social security coverage for their employees.

It is within this background that Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung is organizing a one-day round table meeting for critical stakeholders of the social security ecosystem in Enugu State to empower them to effectively position the provision of sustainable social security on the political agenda of the State ahead of the general elections in 2019. The seminar is expected to facilitate the creation of a “Forum of Opinion Leaders/Moulders Advocating the Establishment of a Functional and Sustainable Social Security System” in Enugu State. Participants will include about fifteen critical and influential leaders and multipliers from Political Parties, Business Association, Labour Unions, Employers' Associations, Teachers Associations, Women's Associations, Youth Associations; professional bodies such as Bar Association, Medical Association, Nigeria Union of Journalists; representatives of government agencies, religious and traditional institutions.