From Atiku Sarki, Abuja
The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) has enrolled over 7.6 million employees into the Employees Compensation Scheme (ECS), marking a major milestone in workers’ social protection across the country.
The Fund also recorded a historic breakthrough with the enrolment of the Nigeria Police Force into the scheme for the first time.
In a statement issued in Abuja, the Managing Director of NSITF, Oluwaseun Faleye, disclosed this during the 2026 International Civil Service Conference held on Wednesday in Abuja.
According to him, “We have enrolled over 7.6 million employees into the Scheme. We secured the enrolment of the Nigeria Police Force into the ECS — a historic first — after engagements with the Inspector-General of Police.
“When our officers know that their families will be protected should they sustain injury or lose their lives in the line of duty, their confidence and gallantry will increase, and our national security will be safer for us all.”
Speaking on the conference theme, “Reforms, Resilience and Results,” Faleye said the theme represents a call to action for public institutions to improve service delivery, restore public trust, and adapt to rapid technological and economic changes.
“For us in Nigeria, the conversation around reform is no longer optional — it is urgent.
“The future of governance and national development depends on the ability of our institutions to evolve, innovate, and respond effectively to the needs of citizens,” he said.
Faleye noted that since assuming office as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NSITF on July 15, 2024, he inherited an institution facing operational challenges, including slow claims processing, low public awareness, and weak stakeholder confidence.
He explained that the management responded with deliberate reforms aimed at improving governance, transparency, compliance, and service delivery.
According to him, NSITF partnered with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to strengthen anti-corruption mechanisms within the Fund, while 120 staff members were designated as Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit liaison officers nationwide.
On digital transformation, Faleye said the Fund is replacing paper-based operations with integrated digital systems to improve transparency, speed, and efficiency in claims processing.
“Our goal is simple: no Nigerian worker or their family should endure unnecessary delays when entitled to compensation under the law,” he stated.
The NSITF boss further disclosed that the Fund had intensified campaigns to expand ECS coverage nationwide, including engagements with governors of Lagos, Rivers, Delta, Sokoto, and Taraba states.
He revealed that in April 2026, NSITF signed a landmark partnership with Lagos State to fully implement the Employees Compensation Scheme for state workers.
On claims settlement, Faleye said NSITF processed 22,350 compensation claims in 2024, recording a 21 per cent increase in claims payouts.
He added that the Fund paid N90 million compensation to a Seplat Energy worker, N76 million to dependants of a Nigerian Breweries employee, N31 million in medical bills for a Nestlé worker, and N42.5 million to the family of a deceased Depthwize employee.
“These are not just numbers — they are families who received justice, dignity, and support in their most difficult moments,” he said.
Faleye stressed that workers’ welfare and occupational safety remain critical to national productivity and economic growth.
He said NSITF partnered with the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to implement the 2025 Safe Workplace Intervention Project (SWIP), which audited over 200 workplaces nationwide.
“The Federal Government has also mandated the Employees’ Compensation Scheme for all federal public workers — a decisive step towards ensuring that no civil servant in this country is left unprotected,” he added.
Faleye concluded that emerging realities such as digitalisation, artificial intelligence, remote work systems, and changing employment patterns require governments to adopt proactive labour and social protection policies.
“Our institutions must become proactive rather than reactive — anticipating risks, building safety nets, and empowering workers to thrive in the new economy,” he said.
