Two major workers’ unions in the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) have declared their confidence in the agency’s management team led by Managing Director Barrister Oluwaseun Faleye, praising what they described as a “bold and reform-driven” leadership.
The unions — the Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI) and the National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees (NUBIFIE) — jointly expressed their stance in a letter to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Umar Dingyadi.
In the letter, signed by leaders of both unions, the workers commended the Minister for fostering a sustainable work environment and promoting decent work values, while also applauding the NSITF management for steering the agency through a period of “reconstruction and re-engineering.”
“We are proud to acknowledge the leadership qualities of the current management team led by Barrister Oluwaseun Faleye, who has embarked on the reconstruction and re-engineering of the NSITF to achieve its strategic objectives,” the unions stated.
They noted that under Faleye’s leadership, the Fund has made visible progress in corporate performance and efficiency, ensuring that resources are “utilised effectively and transparently.”
Applauding tough decisions
Among the management’s actions that earned the unions’ support is the suspension of the digitalisation contract (E-NSITF), which they described as fraudulent, lacking value, and rejected by users since inception.
According to the unions, halting the contract helped prevent further financial waste and reflected the management’s commitment to transparency — a move they said aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s transparency and accountability agenda.
“This bold step deserves the support of all stakeholders,” they noted. “It demonstrates management’s resolve to protect the Fund and its workers from mismanagement.”
Pushing for legislative reform
The unions also threw their weight behind ongoing efforts to amend the NSITF Act of 1993 and the Employees’ Compensation Act (ECA) of 2010, describing the reforms as “long overdue.”
They argued that the amendments would strengthen the Fund’s legal framework, eliminate conflicting provisions with other laws, and provide a firmer foundation for protecting workers who suffer injury, illness, disability, or death in the line of duty.
“These amendments are designed to empower the Fund and make it more accessible to workers across the country,” the statement read. “When passed, they will greatly enhance NSITF’s capacity to deliver on its social protection mandate.”
Standing by management
The unions condemned what they termed “blackmail and misleading campaigns” allegedly targeted at the current management by individuals opposed to reform, describing such actions as self-serving.
They urged Minister Dingyadi to ignore attempts to malign the NSITF leadership, instead urging him to support the management’s decisions — particularly the discontinuation of the digitalisation contract and the legislative amendment process currently before the National Assembly.
“We appeal for effective oversight, collaboration, and understanding in support of the current management’s sincere pursuit to reposition the Fund to its rightful place,” they added.
The letter was jointly signed by Bala Tijani (President, ASSBIFI–NSITF Unit), Godwin Ekpah (General Secretary, ASSBIFI–NSITF Unit), Simon Wenzamma (Chairman, NUBIFIE–NSITF Unit), and Miller Gudopwa (Secretary, NUBIFIE–NSITF Unit).
