Alhaji Muhammad Dingyadi
The Federal Government has warned employers across the country to desist from exposing workers to unsafe workplaces, vowing to prosecute any organisation whose negligence results in injury or death.
The warning was issued on Tuesday at the 2025 Safe Workplace Intervention Project (SWIP) Awards in Abuja, where the government said unsafe working environments pose serious threats to workers’ lives and national development.
Speaking at the event, which was organised by the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) in collaboration with the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), the Minister of Labour and Employment, Alhaji Muhammad Dingyadi, said the government would no longer tolerate workplace negligence.
He said the renewed stance was aimed at protecting workers, reducing industrial accidents, and enforcing existing labour laws.
Mr. Dingyadi, who was represented by the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mrs. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, described the SWIP initiative as timely and critical. He said workplace safety is both a legal and moral obligation of every employer in Nigeria.
“Every employer has a duty to protect the lives of their workers at all times,” he said. “Compensation is important, but it should not replace preventive action. Our focus must be on ensuring that accidents do not occur.”
He warned that the government would take decisive action against defaulting employers.
“The government will no longer tolerate negligence. Employers who endanger lives will face sanctions, and cases resulting in fatalities will be prosecuted in accordance with the law,” Mr. Dingyadi said.
The minister referenced the Employees’ Compensation Act, 2010, which provides a legal framework for protecting workers who suffer injuries in the course of their duties. However, he stressed that prevention remains the government’s foremost priority.
He explained that the SWIP initiative supports both employers and workers in identifying workplace risks and improving safety practices. He also urged NECA and the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) to intensify efforts to promote compliance with safety standards.
“Job creation must not come at the expense of workers’ lives,” he said, adding that safe work is a fundamental right and a vital investment in national development.
Mr. Dingyadi commended organisations recognised at the event for maintaining high safety standards while remaining profitable, encouraging other companies to emulate them.
He further reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening occupational safety enforcement and expanding compliance with the Employees’ Compensation Act nationwide.
Some award recipients, including Nestlé Nigeria Plc and Spring Water Nigeria Ltd, received ambulances and other safety equipment in recognition of their outstanding compliance and innovation in workplace safety.
