The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) has called for stronger collaboration among government agencies to improve workers’ welfare, workplace safety and access to social security benefits.
Oluwaseun Faleye, NSITF managing director, made the call on Thursday at a technical retreat on presidential priorities, ministerial deliverables and the Performance Management System (PMS) in Abuja.
Faleye, who was represented by his technical assistant, Dayo Alao, said protecting workers’ welfare was essential to national productivity, industrial harmony and sustainable economic development.
He said workers who felt protected were better positioned to contribute meaningfully to their organisations.
“The collective responsibility of the Ministry of Labour and NSITF remains the same: to deliver public value, strengthen institutions and improve the welfare and security of Nigerians,” he said.
Faleye described the retreat, convened by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, as an opportunity for government agencies to coordinate their activities, exchange ideas and improve service delivery.
He said no single agency could independently address all aspects of workers’ welfare, employment protection, workplace safety and social security.
The NSITF chief urged participating institutions to minimise duplication of responsibilities, share knowledge and align their programmes to deliver better outcomes for workers.
He explained that the Fund administered the Employees’ Compensation Scheme (ECS), established under the Employees’ Compensation Act, 2010, to compensate employees affected by work-related injuries, occupational diseases, disabilities and death, while supporting their dependents where applicable.
According to him, the Fund’s responsibilities extend beyond processing claims and paying compensation to include public awareness, employer compliance, stakeholder engagement and the promotion of workplace health and safety.
“We must remain focused on making the Scheme accessible, responsive, transparent and effective for those entitled to its protection,” Faleye said.
He said stronger cooperation among government institutions would help improve workers’ access to protection and ensure that workplace risks and employment-related injuries received adequate attention.
Looking ahead to 2027, Faleye reaffirmed the NSITF’s commitment to strengthening the implementation of the compensation scheme, improving service delivery, promoting employer compliance and advancing workplace safety.
He urged participants to focus on practical measures that would translate institutional plans and targets into tangible improvements in workers’ lives.
“As we deliberate on our institutional responsibilities and targets, we should remain mindful that the ultimate measure of our success is not merely the activities we undertake, but the tangible improvements our work delivers to the people we serve,” he said.
