Pensioners hail NSITF MD over implementation of 23-year-old S’Court judgment

Pensioners under the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund Chapter of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners have commended the Managing Director of the NSITF, Oluwaseun Faleye, for implementing a Supreme Court judgment that left mesome retirees waiting for their entitlements for more than 23 years.

The pensioners also praised the NSITF management for implementing approved pension increases and paying outstanding arrears, describing the measures as a relief to retired workers.

The commendation was contained in a letter titled, “Letter of commendation and appreciation,” dated October 7, 2026, and signed by the NUP NSITF Chapter President, Danlami Aliyu, and Secretary, Olutekunbi Ayodele.

The letter, referenced NUP/NSITF/2026/004, addressed to Faleye. It commended the management for what the pensioners described as its commitment to addressing the welfare concerns of retired NSITF workers.

The union said the implementation of the Supreme Court judgment was particularly significant because some of the affected pensioners had spent more than two decades pursuing their entitlements.

It described the payment as a demonstration that long-standing pension disputes could be resolved with sufficient commitment from the relevant authorities.

The pensioners also commended the management for the N32,000 increase in monthly pension payments across the board, as well as the payment of accrued arrears approved by President Bola Tinubu.

They further expressed appreciation for the implementation of the 20 per cent and 28 per cent pension increases, saying the measures had provided additional financial relief to retirees at a time when many pensioners were facing increased living costs.

“Sir, these actions are not only commendable but have demonstrated your good intention, integrity and fatherly disposition towards our senior citizens who served the nation diligently,” the pensioners said.

According to the union, the implementation of the approved pension increases and payment of arrears demonstrated the willingness of the NSITF management to translate government policies on pension welfare into actual benefits for retirees.

The pensioners said the resolution of the Supreme Court judgment after more than 23 years was particularly noteworthy because of the prolonged uncertainty experienced by those affected.

They described the development as a significant step towards restoring confidence among retired workers and addressing grievances that had remained unresolved for years.

The union said Faleye’s intervention had also shown sensitivity to the plight of elderly Nigerians who devoted their active years to public service.

“You deserve all accolades for this laudable feat, posterity will forever remember you and your management for this gesture and sincerity of purpose,” the pensioners said.

The development comes against the backdrop of longstanding concerns over pension payments and retirees’ access to approved increases and outstanding entitlements without prolonged delays.

For the NSITF pensioners, however, the recent payments represent a departure from the prolonged wait experienced by some retirees, particularly those covered by the Supreme Court judgment.

The union consequently pledged its continued support and cooperation to the NSITF management while expressing confidence in Faleye’s leadership.

“We are truly proud to have you as our Managing Director and we pledge our support, cooperation and prayers for your success in office,” the union stated.

It urged the management to sustain efforts to address issues affecting retired workers, saying the welfare of pensioners remained an important measure of institutional responsibility.

NSITF Raises Alarm Over Fake Recruitment Scam, Warns Nigerians Against Fraudsters The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) has raised the alarm over the circulation of fake employment advertisements and appointment letters being used by fraudsters to deceive unsuspecting members of the public. The warning was contained in a public notice issued by the Fund and circulated to its Regional and Branch Managers through a memorandum dated October 5, 2026, signed by the Executive Director, Administration, Samaila Abdu, Esq. According to the notice, NSITF is not currently recruiting for any position, describing employment advertisements circulating on social media, particularly Facebook, purportedly issued by the Fund as fake. The Fund said the fraudulent advertisements were part of a growing trend involving individuals and groups falsely claiming to represent NSITF in recruitment activities. NSITF categorically warned members of the public against responding to such advertisements or making payments to anyone in connection with purported employment opportunities. The Fund stressed that it does not charge any fee for employment and does not conduct recruitment through unofficial social media platforms or channels. It further stated that all genuine employment opportunities, whenever available, would be communicated through its official channels. “Stay alert, stay safe,” the Fund urged, advising members of the public who encounter suspicious recruitment advertisements or requests to avoid responding and report them to the appropriate NSITF authorities. As part of measures to protect the public and safeguard the integrity of its recruitment process, NSITF management has directed all Regional and Branch Managers to prominently display the public notice at strategic locations within their offices. The directive covers reception areas, main entrances and exits, notice boards, SERVICOM desks and other conspicuous locations accessible to staff and members of the public. The Fund said the notice should be displayed immediately and kept visible to ensure that members of the public are adequately informed and protected from fraudulent recruitment activities. NSITF urged Nigerians, particularly job seekers, to exercise caution and verify every recruitment claim through the Fund’s official communication channels before taking any action. The development comes amid growing concerns over fraudulent online recruitment schemes targeting unemployed Nigerians with promises of government jobs in exchange for money or personal information. NSITF’s latest warning underscores the need for job seekers to remain vigilant, as legitimate public-sector recruitment does not require applicants to pay individuals or unofficial agents for employment.

 

The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) has raised the alarm over the circulation of fake employment advertisements and appointment letters being used by fraudsters to deceive unsuspecting members of the public.

The warning was contained in a public notice issued by the Fund and circulated to its Regional and Branch Managers through a memorandum dated October 5, 2026, signed by the Executive Director, Administration, Samaila Abdu, Esq.

According to the notice, NSITF is not currently recruiting for any position, describing employment advertisements circulating on social media, particularly Facebook, purportedly issued by the Fund as fake.

The Fund said the fraudulent advertisements were part of a growing trend involving individuals and groups falsely claiming to represent NSITF in recruitment activities.

NSITF categorically warned members of the public against responding to such advertisements or making payments to anyone in connection with purported employment opportunities.

The Fund stressed that it does not charge any fee for employment and does not conduct recruitment through unofficial social media platforms or channels.

It further stated that all genuine employment opportunities, whenever available, would be communicated through its official channels.

“Stay alert, stay safe,” the Fund urged, advising members of the public who encounter suspicious recruitment advertisements or requests to avoid responding and report them to the appropriate NSITF authorities.

As part of measures to protect the public and safeguard the integrity of its recruitment process, NSITF management has directed all Regional and Branch Managers to prominently display the public notice at strategic locations within their offices.

The directive covers reception areas, main entrances and exits, notice boards, SERVICOM desks and other conspicuous locations accessible to staff and members of the public.

The Fund said the notice should be displayed immediately and kept visible to ensure that members of the public are adequately informed and protected from fraudulent recruitment activities.

NSITF urged Nigerians, particularly job seekers, to exercise caution and verify every recruitment claim through the Fund’s official communication channels before taking any action.

The development comes amid growing concerns over fraudulent online recruitment schemes targeting unemployed Nigerians with promises of government jobs in exchange for money or personal information.

 NSITF’s latest warning underscores the need for job seekers to remain vigilant, as legitimate public-sector recruitment does not require applicants to pay individuals or unofficial agents for employment.

Nigeria @ 66: Tinubu Declares "End of Pain", "Age of Prosperity"

By Ben Oye

Three years ago, from Eagle Square, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu looked Nigerians in the eye and told them the truth no leader had dared to tell: the reforms would be painful.

Three years later, on Thursday 1st October, 2026, in his 66th Independence Day broadcast to the nation, he didn't ask for more patience, rather, he declared victory over the old order. "The age of reforms has ended. The age of prosperity has begun," he announced.

It was not just a speech. It was a closure.

The Courage to Do What Others Postponed

For decades, Nigerian leaders knew what had to be done - remove the $10 billion annual fuel subsidy that enriched a cartel, unify the multiple exchange rates that fed arbitrage, and stop the Ways and Means printing that destroyed the naira. They knew, but they calculated political consequences and walked away.

Tinubu did not calculate. In his first day in office, he ended subsidy and floated the naira. Inflation spiked, the cost of living bit hard, and the opposition predicted collapse. The President never blinked. That is the definition of courageous leadership - the ability to take the necessary hard decision without looking at the next election.

Today, the data has vindicated him.

The Numbers Behind Prosperity

The President's prosperity declaration is not rhetoric, it is backed by figures that every Nigerian can now see in their state accounts:

States Are Richer Than Ever:* Because subsidy removal freed trillions, FAAC allocation to states hit N4.65 trillion in H1 2026 alone. Lagos received N365.78 billion, Delta N331.43 billion, Rivers N295.99 billion. This is why states can now pay N70,000 minimum wage, clear pension arrears and still build roads. NBS confirms states IGR jumped 40.93% to a record N5.15 trillion in 2025, led by Lagos with N1.77 trillion. The reforms made states fiscally viable.

Debt is Being Tamed:* After years of uncontrolled borrowing, DMO reports subnational debt growth has slowed to just 1.49% in the second quarter of 2026, with total at N4.59 trillion. Major states like Lagos, Rivers and FCT actually cut their domestic debt last quarter. National domestic debt service fell to N2.14 trillion in second quarter and external debt service to $870.7 million. The debt trap is breaking. 

Revenue, Not Oil:  For the first time, VAT, not oil, is driving FAAC. In February 2026, Lagos alone contributed N101.34 billion in VAT. PAYE now accounts for 51% of IGR nationally. Nigeria is finally taxing consumption and productivity, not just crude.

The Economy is Growing: From 2.5% in 2023, GDP growth hit 4.07% in fourth quarter of 2025 and has held above 3.8% for a full year. Inflation, which peaked at 34% in 2024, is now on a steady decline as food production responds to improved exchange rate competitiveness.

From Reforms to Results

The President was clear: reforms were never the destination. Prosperity is.

He listed what the age of prosperity will mean - a new push for food security that will crash food prices, CNG buses and credit schemes that have already cut transport costs by 40% on key routes, student loans that have put 500,000 students back in school, and an industrial policy that will make Nigeria manufacture what it consumes.

His core message to Nigerians who endured the pain is: you were right to trust the process.

Why He Deserves Trust for Another Term

In three years, Tinubu has done what no leader since 1960 attempted - he fixed the foundation. The subsidy regime that funded a few is gone forever. The multiple exchange rates that rewarded connection are gone forever. The era where states came to Abuja with caps in hand every month is over.

To return to the old policies now would be to return to queues, to dollar scarcity, to a central bank funding government deficits. Nigerians have tasted hardship, but they have also seen that hardship with purpose ends.

At 66, Nigeria is no longer a nation managing poverty. It is a nation positioned for wealth. The President who had the courage to start the reforms is the only one with the credibility to manage the prosperity.

The age of pain is over. The age of prosperity has just begun.

Nigeria @66; Desirability and Sustainability of Subnational Domestic Debt

Ben Oye 

As Nigeria turns 66 on October 1st 2026, All eyes and ears are tuned to Abuja in anticipation of the traditional independence broadcast of the President. Public analysts, critics and supporters of the President and the ruling party will thoroughly dissect his speech. One issue the critics are expected to focus on is the desirability and sustainability of national public debt.

The 36 states and FCT will be celebrating with a combined domestic debt of N4.59 trillion according to recently released data from the Debt Management Office, DMO for second quarter of this year. That is N67.57 billion more than they owed in March and N627.35 billion more than June last year.

Of this figure, ten states hold N3.22 trillion or 70.2% while four states - Lagos, Delta, FCT and Rivers - alone hold 49.5% of the total. Lagos: N1.195trn, Delta: N369.30bn after adding N155.45bn in one quarter, FCT: N358.79bn after cutting N31.08bn, Rivers: N354.64bn, Edo: N214.93bn, Ogun: N189.05bn, Bauchi: N157.35bn, Niger: N140bn, Cross River: N130.01bn, Benue: N112.32bn. 

Governments, globally, borrow often for various reasons. Funding of developmental projects, development of capital market, smoothing revenue volatility, funding in times of emergencies induced by wars, natural disasters, pandemics etc, and prevention of economic disasters such as depression are some of the justifications for government borrowing.

Though many states' debt are unjustified for breaching the requirement of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, states such as Lagos, Rivers, and Ogun have demonstrated the capacity to effective manage public debt.

The debt to IGR ratio is the real fiscal independence test. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, states generated N5.15trn IGR in 2025, up 40.93% from N3.65trn in 2024. Lagos alone did N1.77trn, Rivers N428.42bn, FCT N356.34bn and Ogun N252.36bn. 

State       Debt Q2 '26       IGR 2025          Debt/IGR

Lagos 1,195bn      1,770bn            67.5%

Delta 369.3bn        110bn             335.7%

FCT           358.79bn       356.34bn           100.7%

Rivers 354.64bn     428.42bn             82.8%

Edo            214.93bn         85bn*           252.9%

Ogun 189.05bn     252.36bn             74.9%

Bauchi 157.35bn       b20bn*             786.7%

Niger 140bn        b30bn*             466.6%

C/River      130.01bn         40bn*                       325.0%

Benue 112.32bn        29.38bn                  l382.3%

*Delta, Edo, Bauchi, Niger, Cross River estimates based on NBS 2024 + 40% growth. Benue IGR 29.38bn confirmed in FAAC report. 

By the information contained in the above table, Lagos, Rivers and Ogun can clear their domestic debt with less than one year of IGR. Delta, Edo, Cross River, Benue, Niger and Bauchi need 3-7 years of total IGR to clear their debt. Bauchi is most exposed.

Most states still depend heavily on statutory allocations from the Federal Allocation Account Committee. In first half of 2026, Lagos got N365.78bn, Delta N331.43bn, Rivers N295.99bn, FCT N123.67bn. Total FAAC to states from January to June, 2026 stood at N4.65trn. 

We annualise the half year total revenue of of the following states to get their respective debt to revenue percentage:

State.   Total Revenue/yr.       Debt/Revenue %

Lagos        2,501bn                      47.8%

Rivers        1,020bn                      34.8%

Delta        772bn                      47.8%

FCT                603bn                      59.5%

Ogun        400bn                      47.2%

Edo                253bn                      84.9%

Niger         190bn                      73.7%

Cross River 175bn                      74.3%

Benue         165bn                      68.0%

Bauchi          160bn                     98.3%

When FAAC is added, sustainability improves dramatically. Only Edo and Bauchi cross 80%. This explains why FAAC reform is existential. If oil price falls or VAT is re-shared, Edo, Bauchi, Niger, Cross River and Benue will hit a wall.

Using rebased national GDP to test debt sustainability of these stars, Lagos economy is estimated at ₦86trn, Rivers ₦22trn, Delta ₦18trn,  and Ogun ₦12trn. All 10 states have debt-to-GDP under 3%, except FCT at 4.5%. By international 10% subnational threshold, debt looks small relative to GDP. Problem is not size, it is cash flow - IGR.

How Much Goes to Servicing? DMO reported national domestic debt service fell to N2.14trn in Q2 2026. For states, domestic debt service averages 18-24% of debt stock annually at current Treasury-Bill/Bond rates.

Lagos services its debt with an estimated ₦215bn/year  representing 12% of IGR and  8.5% of total revenue. Rivers: ₦64bn  translating to 14.9% of IGR or 6.2% of total revenue. The two states have a highly sustainable debt going by this.

However, Delta services its debt with ₦66bn annually. It amounts to 60% of IGR or 8.5% of total revenue. This shows a high IGR stress, It is moderate if FAAC holds.

On the other hand, Bauchi, Niger, Benue, and Cross River have debt service  profile of between 50-110% of IGR. Without FAAC, they cannot service debt and pay salaries.

Nigeria's debt problem is not federal alone. Stakeholders should pay more attention to activities of subnational governments to ensure even national development. At 66, we have two Nigerias:

Lagos, Rivers, Ogun, FCT  are VAT-driven survivors. Their debt is below 100% of IGR. Their VAT receipts in Feb 2026 alone are hefty with receiving Lagos N101.34bn, showing why VAT is now bigger than statutory allocation.

Delta, Edo, Bauchi, Niger, Cross River, Benue are FAAC addicts.  Their debt is 250-786% of IGR. Delta's 72% jump in one quarter and FCT's 405% year-on-year growth narrative shows borrowing to cover recurrent, not capital. 

Moreover, the slowdown to 1.49% quarterly growth is deceptive because Delta alone added more than the total net increase while Enugu, FCT, Rivers and Ogun cut debt. 

For true debt sustainability states must grow IGR beyond PAYE which already provides 51.3% of all IGR and 69.51% of tax revenue. Otherwise, any FAAC shock will turn domestic debt from a financing tool to a fiscal trap. 

The Long Road to 2027: The contours of Campaigns in Kwara State and what Must Get Right

 Kaosara Arinola, TIAMIYU

Nigeria's 2027 General Elections are still ahead, but in Kwara State the countdown has visibly begun. Continuous Voter Registration has closed, campaign season has officially opened, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) recently convened a stakeholders' meeting in Ilorin to take stock of where things stand. What emerged from that gathering - figures, warnings, unresolved disputes, and hard questions from the floor offers a useful preview of the issues that should dominate campaign conversations over the next several months, and a sobering reminder of how much groundwork remains.

The numbers tell a story of engagement - and of unfinished business

The recently concluded CVR exercise in Kwara recorded 249,459 new registrations, alongside tens of thousands of voter transfers, PVC replacements, and information updates. These are healthy signs of civic interest. But INEC itself has cautioned that the new-registration figure is still tentative, pending a cleanup exercise to weed out multiple registrations, underage entries, and other irregularities. That caveat matters. Every actor in this process - political parties, candidates, and voters alike should treat the current numbers as provisional and resist the temptation to build campaign narratives or turnout expectations on a figure that may still shift. 

There is also unfinished administrative work with real electoral consequences. Six local government areas in Kwara submitted requests to rename or relocate polling units and registration areas. Stakeholders reached agreement in four of them - Oke-Ero, Baruten, Oyun, and Ilorin South but Ilorin West and Moro remain unresolved. Left unaddressed, disputes like these can translate directly into voter confusion, contested results, or disenfranchisement on Election Day. Political parties and candidates should be pressing for these matters to be settled well before the polls, not treating them as a technical afterthought.

Insecurity remains the defining challenge

Perhaps the most sobering material to come out of the meeting concerns insecurity and displacement. Banditry has touched nearly every local government area in the state, with Ifelodun LGA the worst affected with 89 communities impacted, compared to smaller numbers in Irepodun, Isin, Ekiti, and Oke-Ero. Parts of Kwara North have also recorded kidnappings and killings. In some wards, entire polling units have emptied out as residents fled; in Ile-Ire Ward alone, four polling units covering thousands of registered voters relocated wholesale to other towns. Encouragingly, there are signs of recovery which include markets reopening, residents trickling back, kidnap victims released and a proposed army barracks in Omu-Aran is expected to strengthen surveillance in one of the hardest-hit corridors. But "gradual" and "expected" are not the same as "resolved".

This should be the single largest campaign issue for 2027 not as a talking point, but as a plan. Candidates owe voters something more concrete than general assurances of safety. What specifically will be done to secure polling units in red-zone communities? How will displaced voters, some of whom may still be away from their registered wards by Election Day, be accommodated? Members of the public at the stakeholders' meeting asked pointed questions about this, how ballot box security will be guaranteed and what role security agencies will play and INEC's answer, that citizens share responsibility for identifying and reporting troublemakers, is honest but incomplete. Voters deserve a fuller picture, and candidates who can articulate one will distinguish themselves.

Logistics, access, and the integrity of the vote

Beyond security, the meeting surfaced a cluster of practical issues that campaigns should not ignore simply because they sound procedural. The perennial problem of late arrival of election materials and personnel came up again, with INEC pointing to ongoing coordination with transport unions and training programs as its response - a plan still very much in progress. Questions were also raised about accessibility for voters with disabilities, to which INEC noted that existing rules already provide for their accommodation on Election Day; the real test will be whether that provision is visibly and consistently honored at the polling unit level, not just on paper. And on the increasingly common question of whether a downloaded digital copy of the PVC could be used to vote, INEC's answer was a clear no for now, with the possibility left open for future review.

Then there is the issue of political conduct itself. INEC has already expressed displeasure over reports of party billboards and campaign materials being destroyed by rival factions, and pointedly referenced the sections of the Electoral Act governing campaign conduct. Vote buying, too, was flagged as both an electoral and financial crime that will draw closer scrutiny this cycle, following earlier public warnings from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. These are not abstract concerns. A campaign season marked by material destruction, monetary inducement, or inflammatory rhetoric erodes the very credibility that elections are meant to establish.

What voters should expect from candidates

Taken together, the picture from Kwara is one of a Commission trying to be transparent about both its progress and its gaps, and a public that is asking exactly the right questions. Ahead of 2027, political parties and candidates should be judged less on rally attendance and more on whether they can speak credibly to security guarantees for at-risk communities, respect for the rules already laid down for campaign conduct, concrete rejection of vote buying, and support for smooth, accessible, well-supplied polling on election day. One audience suggestion from the stakeholders' meeting deserves particular attention: a clear, formal assignment of roles among the different security outlets involved in election duty. Ambiguity about who is responsible for what has been a recurring weakness in past cycles, and it is precisely the kind of issue campaigns and candidates can push for resolution on now, while there is still time.

If the 2027 elections are to be freer, fairer, and more peaceful than those before them, the work will not happen on Election Day itself. It will happen in the months between now and then - in whether displaced communities are resettled, whether outstanding polling unit disputes are closed, and whether every actor in the process, not just INEC, treats election integrity as a shared obligation rather than someone else's job.

Kaosara Arinola, Tiamiyu is a NYSC at the Grassroots Development Advocacy and Monitoring Centre (GDMAC), writes from Ilorin, Kwara State

Retirement security begins during working life, not at retirement - Faleye

…As NSITF covers 7.8m workers, claims turnaround now 10 days

The Managing Director/Chief Executive of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Mr Oluwaseun Faleye, has said individual ownership of retirement planning cannot replace institutional responsibility, insisting that retirement security is built during working life, not at the point of exit from service.

Faleye stated this on Thursday while delivering NSITF's position at the Policy Dialogue session of the 2026 National Pre-Retirement Summit with the theme: "Own Your Retirement: From Planning to Action" held at the Shehu Musa Yar'Adua Centre, Abuja.

Speaking at the session, themed "Between Duty and Delivery", the Managing Director noted that the question of social protection is what citizens are promised in law and what they actually experience in real life.

He said, "When we speak about retirement, we must begin much earlier than the point at which work ends. Retirement security is shaped during working life - by occupational risks, health, protection of earning capacity, compensation when harm occurs, and what happens to families when a breadwinner is lost".

According to him, while pensions and savings are indispensable, they do not tell the whole story, noting that a worker who remains healthy, productive and protected has a different pathway into old age from one who suffers disabling injury or premature death without adequate protection.

Retirement security begins during working life, not at retirement - Faleye explained that the Employees' Compensation Scheme (ECS), which NSITF administers, is part of the retirement and social protection continuum, protecting workers against employment-related injury, occupational disease, disability and death, while providing compensation, survivor protection, medical care, rehabilitation and return-to-work support.

On coverage, the NSITF boss disclosed that as at July 2026, more than 7.6 million workers were enrolled under the Scheme, adding that  current figure has risen to over 7.8 million. He said the Fund is moving from isolated registration exercises toward sustained participation and compliance through partnerships with Federal institutions, State Governments, regulators, employers and organisations in the informal economy.

He described the onboarding of Treasury-funded Federal MDAs as particularly significant, revealing that within less than four months of the integration process, claims payments have commenced.

"The first batch of five Treasury-funded MDA beneficiaries was paid on 4 August 2026. This is turning Federal Civil Service protection into a lived reality," Faleye said.

He stressed that registration alone is not protection, adding that compliance must deliver real protection by connecting registration and assessment to contributions, accurate worker information, claims and timely benefit payment.

Faleye said the family must remain visible in social protection design, noting that when a worker dies from employment-related incident, survivors' and dependents' benefits become critical.

"The system must be visible at the point of vulnerability. Claims administration, documentation, communication and inter-agency referrals should be designed around the beneficiary's experience, with compassion, clarity and timely resolution," he added.

On prevention, he said NSITF's occupational safety and health work through workplace inspection, accident investigation and safety advocacy is aimed at ensuring fewer accidents occur at workplaces, while healthcare and rehabilitation preserve dignity and earning capacity.

The NSITF Chief Executive said workers should plan for retirement and understand their entitlements, but warned that a worker cannot individually insure against an employer's non-compliance or build a claims system.

 "The right balance is shared responsibility: the State builds and regulates the architecture; institutions deliver within their mandates; employers comply and maintain safe workplaces; and workers understand, use and participate actively in the protections available to them," he stated.

He listed NSITF's position as: retirement security begins during working life; coverage must mean effective protection not merely registration; prevention and compensation must work together; families and dependents must remain part of protection design; and individual ownership complements but does not replace public and employer responsibilities.

"Between duty and delivery is where trust is won. For the Nigerian worker, social protection must be more than a statutory promise on paper. It must be felt when a worker is injured, when a family loses a breadwinner, when rehabilitation is needed, and when a worker approaches retirement," Faleye said.

He disclosed that average claims turnaround has improved to 10 days from 14 days, adding that the next task is to deepen coverage, strengthen compliance and improve  institutional coordination.

"A worker can plan for retirement only when the system is credible enough to plan with," he concluded.

The summit had in attendance the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment, the Chairman of National Pension Commission, President of Nigeria Labour Congress, Director-General of Bureau of Public Service Reforms and the Director-General of National Senior Citizens Centre amongst other stakeholders.

NSITF now a digital, efficient, accountable institution - Faleye

The Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Dr Kamil Shoretire, (left) receiving an award from the MD/CE NSITF, Barrister Seun Faleye when the latter visited NSITF Corporate Headquarters on Monday.

The Managing Director of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Mr  Oluwaseun Faleye, has said the Fund has moved decisively from manual, top-heavy operations to a more digital, efficient and accountable institution in the last two years.

Faleye made this assertion Monday, September 21, 2026, when he received the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Dr. Kamil A. Shoretire, on a familiarisation visit to the NSITF Headquarters in Abuja.

Welcoming the Permanent Secretary and his entourage, the NSITF boss said the visit offered an opportunity to share first-hand the Fund's reform journey, present realities and aspirations.

Giving details of his stewardship, the MD said when the current Management assumed office in July 2024, it met an institution with significant reliance on manual processes, a management structure heavily concentrated at the top, career stagnation, gaps in deployment of people and resources, and institutional processes that needed modernisation.

Quoting the late Chinua Achebe, Faleye said: “A man who does not know where the rain began to beat him cannot say where he dried his body,” noting that the Management had to confront those realities honestly as the starting point for reform.

He gave a breakdown of key reform steps already taken to include a comprehensive staff audit, which recommendations are being implemented in phases to ensure sustainable, evidence-based reform.

“One of the first things we did was to undertake a comprehensive staff audit and provide an objective assessment of our workforce structure and organisational needs,” he said.

Faleye informed that the Fund also commenced a digital transformation journey to transit from predominantly manual systems to integrated and responsive systems, while addressing structural imbalances through a Voluntary Exit Exercise to create a leaner, more functional organisation with clearer responsibilities and renewed room for career progression.

Speaking on work environment and tools, the NSITF MD disclosed that the Operations Directorate has been relocated to the more modern Mukhtar El-Yakub Building, while branches across the country are being given a facelift, while those offices operating under branch-in-branch arrangements are being provided dedicated office spaces. He added that furniture, ICT equipment, printers and transportation capacity are being deployed progressively, alongside sustained capacity building for staff.

The Managing Director noted that the internal reforms are already translating into expanded coverage for Nigerian workers.

He disclosed that the Fund has successfully onboarded treasury-funded Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, and has commenced payment of claims, with the first batch of five beneficiaries already having received compensation recently at an event witnessed by the Permanent Secretary.

“We are at an advanced stage of engagement with the Lagos State Government and Taraba State Government, while discussions with a number of other States are progressing,” Faleye said, adding that partnerships with several Federal MDAs and regional organisations are also being strengthened to deepen coverage of the Employees’ Compensation Scheme, especially for workers in the informal and emerging economies.

“After two years, I believe it is fair to say that NSITF is no longer where it was when this Management assumed office. The digital transformation has begun. The organisational structure is being progressively reconfigured. The top-heavy management structure is being addressed,” he said.

Faleye however admitted that the Fund is still a work in progress, with much work to be done in expanding coverage to the informal workforce, strengthening compliance, improving data and digital integration, and enhancing claims administration.

He described the Ministry of Labour and Employment as not just an oversight Ministry, but as a strategic partner in strengthening Nigeria’s social protection architecture, and called for stronger collaboration to accelerate reforms.

“Our commitment is to continue to leave no stone unturned in building an NSITF that is transformed, efficient, effective, accountable and transparent; an institution that workers can trust, employers can engage with confidently, and the Government can rely upon to deliver,” he said.

He also assured that the Management remains committed to its pledge to leave the Fund better than it met it.

“I have repeatedly assured the staff of NSITF that I will leave the Fund better than I met it. That remains my commitment,” Faleye declared.

In his response, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Dr Kamil Shoretire, commended the management of the NSITF for the bold reforms and visible improvements in the Fund and pledged the ministry's continued support to strengthen the nation's social security system.

He called on Management of the Fund to collaborate with sister agencies in a bid to include the informal sector into the coverage of ECS, and added that more importantly, the Fund should engage in preventive programmes for safety in workplaces.

Dr. Shohire, who lauded the management of NSITF for support to the Ministry, called for co-operation between Management and the Board of the Fund to ensure the smooth running of its operations.