The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) has transformed its operations through digitalisation, workforce restructuring and improved accountability, while expanding efforts to provide compensation coverage for more Nigerian workers, its Managing Director, Oluwaseun Faleye, has said.
Faleye made this known on Monday in Abuja when he received the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Dr Kamil Shoretire, who was on a familiarisation visit to the NSITF headquarters to assess the Fund’s operations and ongoing reforms. He said the reforms were introduced to address challenges inherited by the current management and improve the Fund’s efficiency and effectiveness.
Speaking on the reforms, Faleye said the management inherited heavy reliance on manual processes, a top-heavy organisational structure, career stagnation and gaps in resource deployment.
He said these challenges prompted the management to introduce reforms, including a comprehensive staff audit, digital transformation and a Voluntary Exit Exercise.
“One of the first things we did was to undertake a comprehensive staff audit and provide an objective assessment of our workforce structure and organisational needs,” he said.
Faleye also said the Operations Directorate had been relocated to the Mukhtar El-Yakub Building as part of efforts to improve efficiency.
He added that NSITF branches across the country were being renovated and equipped with furniture, information and communication technology facilities, printers and transportation capacity.
According to him, the reforms had also expanded coverage for Nigerian workers through the onboarding of treasury-funded Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
Faleye said the Fund had commenced payments under the Employees’ Compensation Scheme (ECS), with five beneficiaries recently receiving compensation.
“We are at an advanced stage of engagement with the Lagos State Government and Taraba State Government, while discussions with a number of other states are progressing,” he said.
He said the Fund was also strengthening partnerships with Federal Government agencies and regional organisations to deepen ECS coverage, particularly for workers in the informal and emerging economies.
“After two years, I believe it is fair to say that NSITF is no longer where it was when this management assumed office. The digital transformation has begun,” Faleye said.
He, however, acknowledged that more work was required to expand informal-sector coverage, strengthen compliance and improve data integration.
Faleye identified enhanced claims administration as another priority for the Fund’s ongoing reforms.
He described the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment as a strategic partner in strengthening Nigeria’s social protection architecture and called for stronger collaboration to accelerate reforms and improve the Fund’s effectiveness.
“Our commitment is to continue to leave no stone unturned in building an NSITF that is transformed, efficient, effective, accountable and transparent,” he said.
Faleye said he remained committed to leaving the Fund in a better position than he found it.
“I have repeatedly assured the staff of NSITF that I will leave the Fund better than I met it. That remains my commitment,” he added.
Responding, Shoretire commended the NSITF management for its reforms and called for greater collaboration with sister agencies.
He urged the Fund to extend ECS coverage to workers in the informal sector and strengthen Nigeria’s social protection system.
Shoretire also urged NSITF to prioritise preventive workplace safety programmes to reduce occupational risks.
He further called for stronger cooperation between the Fund’s management and governing board to ensure smooth operations.
