Faleye Inaugurates LOC for ISSSA West Africa Technical Seminar 2026.

Managing Director and Chief Executive NSITF, Barrister Olúwaṣeun Mayomi Faleye 

Managing Director of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Barrister Olúwaṣeun Falaye, has inaugurated the local organising committee for the International Social Security Services Association, (ISSSA) West Africa Technical Seminar 2026.

Executive Director Administration, Barrister Samaila Abdul

The event took place at the Board Room of the Fund in Abuja on Wednesday.

Barrister Faleye said, the "inauguration marks an important step in our collective preparations for a seminar of strategic significance, not only to the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, but to the broader agenda of strengthening social security systems across West Africa."

He charged members of the committee not to take their task lightly as he stated that it was an honour to host such an event.

On the theme of the seminar, “Improving Inclusiveness and accessibility of Social Security Services through Effective Communication in West Africa,” the NSITF boss said it "speaks directly to the realities of our region. As social security institutions, our mandate goes beyond policy and administration; it extends to ensuring that our services are understood, accessible, and responsive to theneeds of all segments of society, particularly the vulnerable and underserved."

He explained that the "Seminar is designed to advance that mandate by leveraging digitalisation, promoting innovative communication strategies, and encouraging the use of digital and mobile technologies to expand social security coverage. It will also provide a valuable platform for experience-sharing, peer learning, and the exchange of best practices among social security experts and institutions across the sub-region."

On the expected outcomes of the Seminar, Barrister Faleye forecast that "deliberations from this seminar will deepen our collective understanding of digital transformation in social security administration, strengthen regional collaboration, and generate practical, actionable recommendations for extending coverage in West Africa."

Furthermore, he enumerated expected benefits of the Seminar to NSITF and Nigeria as "enhanced networking with regional and international partners, and the opportunity to showcase Nigeria’s leadership and commitment to social security development."

Stressing the importance of the task before the LOC, he nevertheless, expressed confidence in the ability of the committee to deliver and urged them to be dedicated and committed while embracing team spirit as he wished them success.

The ISSSA West Africa Technical Seminar 2026 is scheduled for April 25 in Abuja. The event will bring together social security services experts from the region and beyond.

Workplace Safety: NSITF advocates for safety culture

Managing Director of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Barrister. Oluwaseun Faleye, has called for a nationwide shift from mere workplace safety compliance to the entrenchment of a sustainable safety culture across Nigerian industries.

The NSITF boss made the call in Abuja on Tuesday at the NSITF–NECA Safe Workplace Intervention Project (SWIP) Abuja Mega Awards Ceremony, marking the grand finale of the 2025 SWIP programme.

Some of the ambulances presented by NSITF to outstanding organisations 

Faleye said the Abuja event represented the “homecoming of safety” after a 12-day nationwide SWIP journey that began at the NSITF headquarters and passed through key industrial centres including Lagos and Enugu. 

According to him, the initiative symbolises Nigeria’s transition from reacting to workplace accidents to proactively preventing them, while recognising organisations that have prioritised worker protection as a core business value.

Representatives of award-wining organisations 

“A safe workplace is an efficient workplace, and a protected worker is a productive worker,” Faleye said, describing SWIP as a strategic partnership between the NSITF as regulator and the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) as operator.

To this end, he  highlighted a policy shift within the agency from what he described as “reactive compensation” to “proactive prevention,” stressing that preventing accidents is far more beneficial than paying compensation after harm has occurred. He emphasised that training, information, and consistent safety awareness are key to transforming safety from a checklist into a habit embedded in organisational culture.

Congratulating recipients of the Abuja Mega Awards, Faleye charged them to see the recognition not as an endpoint but as a responsibility to serve as safety ambassadors within their sectors.

In her remarks, Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to protecting Nigerian workers, declaring that workplace safety is a legal obligation and not an option for employers. 

Onyejeocha highlighted the economic importance of the North, pointing to high-risk sectors such as mining, construction, manufacturing and agro-processing, and stressed that safety in these workplaces must be treated as a responsibility rather than a choice.

While acknowledging the Employees’ Compensation Act of 2010 as a strong framework for supporting injured workers, the minister emphasised that compensation alone was insufficient. 

According to her, the government’s priority is prevention, insisting that workers should not have to suffer injury or death before action is taken. She described SWIP as a practical platform that brings employers, regulators and workers together to identify risks, build capacity and prevent accidents.

The Minister issued a stern warning to employers who disregard occupational safety laws, saying the government would no longer tolerate practices that endanger lives in the name of productivity. She warned that violators would face sanctions and prosecution, including for manslaughter where negligence leads to death, while commending organisations recognised at the event for proving that strong labour standards and profitable businesses can coexist.

Thirty-two organisations received various categories of awards at the event for imbibing healthy safety practices in their workplaces.

The awards ranged from plaques to safety gear and ambulances.

Workplace Safety and Health: Today's Choices Determine the Future - NSITF Boss.

Dr. Umar Dingyadi, Minister of Labour and Employment (2nd right) receiving an award.

As the NSITF-NECA Safe Workplace Intervention Project kicks off in Lagos, Managing Director of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, (NSITF) Barrister Oluwaseun Falaye, has enjoined employers of labour in Nigeria to be intentional about compliance with workplace safety and health regulations as he said that the future is determined by today's choices.

Barrister Oluwaseun Faleye, MD NSITF, making a presentation at the event

In his welcome address at the Lagos Stakeholders' Interactive Enlightenment Forum and Awards Ceremony on Tuesday, Barrister Faleye said, "the future of work in Nigeria will be defined by how much we protect our workforce while driving productivity and growth."

"At the core of the Employees' Compensation Act 2010 is a simple but  profound truth: every worker matters. No job is worth a life. And no organization can sustainably thrive when safety is treated as an afterthought,' he stated.

Executive Director Operations, Hon. Mojisoluwa Ali-Macauley stressing a point

Barrister Faleye urged organizations that are yet to fully align with safety compliance to avail themselves of the event to do so.

He stressed that no job is worth a life, and no organisation can sustainably thrive when safety is treated as an afterthought.

Speaking on the theme of the program: 'Enhancing Workplace Safety, Strengthening Compliance, Celebrating Excellence', the NSITF MD said "the theme captures the full spectrum of our engagement today. Compliance must be seen not as a regulatory obligation alone, but as a strategic business decision that safeguards human capital, reduces operational risk, and enhances organisational reputation". 

Executive Director Administration NSITF, Barrister Samaila Abdul at the event

According to him, SWIP has, over the years, evolved into a strategic platform for driving awareness, strengthening compliance, and fostering collaboration around occupational safety and health, adding that the forum represents a critical interface between policy, practice, and performance, where employers, workers, regulators, and partners engage constructively on how to build safer and more productive workplaces.

"Today's gathering is not merely an information session; it is a shared commitment. It reflects our collective resolve to ensure that economic growth does not come at the expense of worker safety, and that productivity is anchored on environments that protect lives, dignity, and livelihoods," he stated.

Mr. Ayodele, Executive Director Finance,  NSITF at the event.

Speaking on the awards, Faleye said, "today, we also take time to celebrate organisations that have distinguished themselves through demonstrable commitment to occupational safety and health. These awards are not just acknowledgements; they are benchmarks. They signal that compliance is achievable, that safety delivers value, and that excellence in worker protection deserves recognition".

The NSITF boss thanked the parent Ministry of Labour and Employment, NECA, participating organizations, and other partners for the success of the event and reiterated the Fund's commitment to "deepen collaborations, strengthen compliance, and promote a culture where every workplace is a safe workplace."

Explaining the SWIP forum, Director General , NECA, Mr Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, said safety in the work place should be taken as a fundamental issue and core responsibility of  employers.

He said while employers are pursuing maximum or optimum profit, safety of their workers should also be priorities.

He described workplace safety as a life-and-death matter that is still treated with dangerous nonchalance by both employers and employees, despite its far-reaching consequences.

The NECA DG expressed confidence that the initiative would not only reward excellence but also reset the national conversation on workplace safety

The Minister of Labour and Employment , Alhaji Maigari Dingyadi, in a keynote address at the 2025 SWIP kick-off, said the Safe Workplace Intervention Project is a collaborative occupational health and safety initiative designed to enhance workplace safety across Nigeria through structured audits, engagement and recognition.

He said the occupational health and safety is everyone’s responsibility, adding that the ministry cannot do it alone. 

He commended NECA and NSITF for sustaining SWIP, describing it as a model of effective collaboration between government and the private sector.

In a presentation titled "Employees' Compensation Act, 2010: The Journey so Far," the Executive Director Operations at NSITF, Honourable Mojisola Ali-Macauley said that Section 3 of the ECA 2010 makes provisions for Occupational Safety and Health as part of NSITF's mandate.

She revealed that Scheme has a little less than two hundred thousands organizations translating to around eight million employees under its cover. She further stated that 142,745 persons have so far benefited in one form or another from the Scheme.

Seven companies in the Lagos Region received award for maintaining a high standard of Occupational Health and Safety in their workplaces. While Chivita and Nigeria Breweries received an ambulance each, five others received infrastructure OSH awards of first aid kits, PPEs and other safety gadgets for the workplace.

The SWIP, a partnership project between the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund and Nigeria Employers' Consultative Association, was designed to promote voluntary compliance with workplace safety  standards and regulations by organizations through creation of awareness, safety audit and motivation in form of awards to exemplary organisations. It adopts a method that downplays enforcement.

The NSITF-NECA SWIP Awards 2025 is scheduled for Lagos, Enugu, and Abuja for the grand final.

Growth should be anchored in protection and respect for workers. _Faleye.

The Managing Director of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Barrister Olúwaṣeun Mayomi Faleye has said economic activities and growth are anchored in the protection, responsibility, and respect for the Nigeria worker.

Barrister Faleye stated this while addressing a press conference to flag off the 2025 Safe Workplace Intervention Project, (SWIP).

The project, a collaboration between the NSITF and the Nigeria Employers' Consultative Assembly, (NECA), was scheduled for the year 2025. The MD said however, that "operational exigencies on both sides made it necessary to reconvene in January, 2026."

Delving into the purpose of the project, the NSITF boss said, "SWIP was never conceived as an annual ceremony. It was

conceived as a practical response to a persistent national

challenge: the reality that too many Nigerian workers remain

exposed to avoidable workplace risks, and too many employers

still do not fully understand, or comply with, the protections

provided under the Employees’ Compensation Act, 2010."

"The core purpose of SWIP is simple but profound:

To save lives, protect livelihoods, and strengthen productivity by

making workplace safety and compliance the norm rather than

the exception." He added.

Justifying the NSITF-NECA project, Faleye submitted that, "Experience has shown us that laws alone do not change

behaviour. The Employees’ Compensation Act is robust, but its

effectiveness depends on awareness, trust, and consistent

engagement. Many workplace injuries and fatalities occur not

out of malice, but because safety systems are weak, risks are

poorly understood, or compliance is viewed narrowly as a

regulatory burden."

He explained that "SWIP was designed to close this gap," 

bringing "the law to life by translating statutory provisions into

practical understanding; it connects employers to the real

business value of compliance; and it reinforces the idea that

workplace safety is not an abstract obligation, but a human,

economic, and productivity imperative."

Barrister Faleye called on the media to help escalate workplace safety to national priority.

"The role of the media in this effort cannot be overstated. By

telling these stories, highlighting best practices, and sustaining

public conversation, you help reposition workplace safety from

a peripheral issue to a national priority."

The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Dr. Sally Ousmane, in an address at the press conference delivered on his behalf by the Director Regional Health and Safety, Mrs. Ovie Florence, commended NSITF and NECA on behalf of the Honourable Minister and the Management of the Federal Ministry of

Labour and Employment, "for sustaining this laudable

initiative, which continues to make meaningful contributions to the strengthening of

Nigerian occupational safety and health." 

He opined that, "The Safe Workplace Intervention Project is a

clear demonstration of what can be achieved through effective collaboration between

governments, employers, and the social security institutions. I am particularly pleased

that the audit components of this year's project covered no fewer than 200 workplaces

in all six geopolitical zones of the country, with the active technical participation of the

Ministry's Occupational Safety and Health Department.

The Ministry's involvement as the audit technical and implementation partner was

aimed at ensuring that the process was conducted in line with national occupational

health and safety standards and global best practises. I am encouraged by the report of

high level of enthusiasm."

In his own speech at the occasion, the Director-General National Employers Consultative Assembly, NECA, Mr. Nneka said Occupation Safety and Health "are now core conventions of the International Labour Organization, (ILO.) since two years ago.

The DG explained that the goal of the SWIP awards was "to enhance voluntary compliance." He revealed that some winning organisations "will be presented ambulances and personal protective equipment in Lagos, Enugu, and Abuja.

On the integrity of the selection process, Mr. Nneka said the process endured rigorous multi-levels auditing and vetting.

Looking ahead, he stated that focus of occupational health and safety would now shift to peculiar problems presented by AI, working at home and other technological innovations.

In a call-to-action address at the event, the Executive Director Operations, NSITF, Hon. Mojisolaoluwa Ali-Macauley said, "The joint assessment by the Federal Ministry of Labour and NSITF

confirms what we have always known: Safe workplaces are not

aspirational – they are achievable when leadership, regulation, and

responsibility work together, exactly as intended by the Employees’

Compensation Act, 2010."

She therefore, called on all employers to institutionalise preventive safety measures urgently. She also enjoined awardee organisations to see the awards as beginning not the end as she urged NECA to "intensify advocacy and employers mobilisation."

She further called on 

"the Federal Ministry of Labour, NSITF, and all regulatory bodies" to "sustain and deepen our collaboration: more evidence-based

inspections, faster interventions, stronger enforcement."

Lastly, Mrs. Ali-Macauley urged "the media and the Nigerian public" to  "keep occupational safety

and health in the spotlight. Safe work is everyone’s responsibility and

a foundation for national productivity and economic stability."