The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) has urged businesses across the country to prioritise workplace safety, warning that Nigeria’s economic transformation cannot be achieved without a protected and productive workforce.
Speaking at the Fund’s Special Day during the 2025 Nigeria International Trade Fair in Lagos, NSITF Managing Director, Oluwaseun Faleye—represented by the Regional Manager for Lagos Mainland, Agboma Okoroafor—said the fair’s focus on trade, technology and transformation aligns with the Federal Government’s push to modernise institutions and expand digital services under President Bola Tinubu.
Faleye described the Trade Fair, regarded as Africa’s largest gathering for commerce and innovation, as a timely platform for reinforcing the link between labour protection and national growth. He noted that the Employees’ Compensation Scheme remains central to the Fund’s mandate of safeguarding workers, supporting employers and strengthening productivity.
According to him, the NSITF has intensified reforms over the past year, improving transparency in claims processing, expanding digital reporting channels, enforcing nationwide compliance and increasing engagement with micro, small and medium enterprises.
Faleye said the Lagos region has been a major driver of this digital shift, onboarding thousands of employers onto platforms that streamline claims and promote preventive safety practices.
“NSITF is no longer just a fund that pays compensation; it is a partner in business resilience,” he said. “When workers are safe, businesses thrive—and when businesses thrive, the economy grows.”
He encouraged manufacturers, traders and investors at the Fair to leverage the Fund’s services and engage officials at the NSITF pavilion to learn how its schemes can improve workplace safety and enhance competitiveness.
Also addressing participants, the Executive Director of the Nigeria International Trade Fair Management Board, Veronica Ndunusa, cautioned that Nigeria cannot achieve meaningful productivity if employers continue to disregard workplace safety laws.
She revealed that the Board has recorded numerous cases in which injured employees received “token” compensation while families struggled with huge medical bills—calling it a “silent crisis” that often results in avoidable fatalities.
Ndunusa said many private sector employers still lack adequate safety structures despite clear statutory requirements. She stressed that compliance with labour protection laws is mandatory and urged businesses to take full advantage of NSITF benefits, including medical treatment, rehabilitation and compensation for workplace injuries and disabilities.
She added that a workplace culture that dismisses safety concerns undermines national competitiveness, while a protected workforce strengthens both enterprise stability and the broader economy.
Ndunusa also commended the NSITF for making progress in gender inclusion, noting the increasing presence of women in leadership roles as a sign of institutional growth and improved corporate governance.
She urged the Fund to continue enhancing its programmes as industries increasingly adopt digital and technology-driven operations.
