The Managing Director of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Oluwaseun Faleye, has described the Employees’ Compensation Scheme (ECS) as a critical tool for promoting social justice and protecting Nigeria’s workforce.
Speaking at a SERVICOM Stakeholders’ Engagement in Enugu, Faleye stressed that the ECS—administered by the NSITF—is designed to safeguard both employers and employees.
“The ECS is not a tax. It is not a burden. It is a shield for employers and employees alike—a mechanism for social justice and corporate social responsibility,” he said. “When a worker is injured or lost, the ECS provides medical care, compensation, rehabilitation, and, in many cases, stability for the affected family.”
Faleye, however, lamented that many employers have failed to comply with the Employees’ Compensation Act, which mandates the enrolment of workers in the ECS. He attributed this to either lack of awareness or deliberate refusal to participate.
He disclosed that the Fund has so far processed and paid over 138,000 claims to workers and their beneficiaries.
On improving service delivery, Faleye said the NSITF is investing in the digitalisation of its operations and strengthening partnerships with accredited medical providers to make its services more accessible.
Delivering a goodwill message on behalf of Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah, the Commissioner for Finance and Economic Development, Dr. Nathaniel Urama, commended the workshop’s theme—“Mission Possible: Securing Nigeria’s Workforce through Comprehensive Social Protection”—as aligning closely with the state government’s priorities.
Urama reiterated the administration’s commitment to employee welfare, stronger social protection measures, and boosting national productivity.
