From Atiku Sarki, Abuja
The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Barrister Oluwaseun Faleye, has said the partnership between the Fund and South Africa’s Rand Mutual Assurance (RMA) will help strengthen social protection systems across Africa.
Faleye stated this on Tuesday when he received a high-level delegation from RMA, led by its Group Chief Executive Officer, Bilal Adam, at the NSITF headquarters in Abuja.
He described the engagement as the beginning of a strategic partnership between two leading African social insurance institutions, aimed at improving workers’ compensation, occupational safety and health, and social security administration.
“Your visit marks the beginning of what we hope will evolve into a mutually beneficial and enduring relationship between our two organizations, and highlights our shared commitment to advancing workers’ compensation, occupational safety and health, and social security administration on the African continent,” Faleye said.
The NSITF boss praised RMA’s over a century of experience in workers’ compensation, describing its transformation from a mining industry compensation scheme into a modern social insurer focused on prevention, rehabilitation, care and shared value creation as inspiring.
He said the future of social protection depends on collaboration, innovation and exchange of knowledge among institutions.
“Today’s engagement provides us with an opportunity to learn from one another, compare experiences, identify areas of mutual interest and explore innovative approaches to addressing emerging challenges in the world of work,” he added.
Faleye highlighted possible areas of collaboration, including digital transformation, claims administration, occupational health and safety, rehabilitation, return-to-work programmes, capacity building, research and policy development.
He stressed that both institutions have a responsibility to provide leadership in building stronger social protection systems across Africa.
Reaffirming NSITF’s commitment to strengthening the Employees’ Compensation Scheme (ECS), Faleye described the scheme as a critical social protection intervention designed to provide compensation, medical care, rehabilitation and support to Nigerian workers affected by workplace injuries, occupational diseases, disabilities or death.
He noted that the changing nature of work and emerging occupational risks require continuous improvement, innovation and adoption of global best practices.
According to him, the ECS also provides employers with a sustainable framework for managing workplace liabilities while promoting safer working environments.
Faleye expressed confidence that the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) expected to be drafted and presented for ratification by the NSITF Management Board would open a new chapter of cooperation between the two organizations.
“Together, let us continue to build stronger institutions, safer workplaces and a more inclusive and resilient social protection system for the benefit of workers across Africa,” he said.
The visit will also feature technical engagement sessions where both organizations are expected to share experiences and develop strategies to enhance their proposed partnership.
