Social Security Must Protect Workers Beyond Statistics, NSITF Tells Govt
The Managing Director and Chief Executive of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Mr Oluwaseun Faleye, has called for a broader social security framework that protects workers against emerging employment risks, warning that technological advancements and changing work arrangements could leave millions economically active but without adequate protection.
Faleye said social security must be treated as an investment in human dignity, social stability and economic resilience rather than merely an administrative process driven by institutions, regulations, contributions and statistics.
He spoke at the annual workshop of the Labour Writers Association of Nigeria (LAWAN), themed, “Workers at the Centre of Nigeria’s Political Transition: Defending Rights, Advancing Welfare and Building Economic Justice.”
Presenting a paper titled, “Social Security and Workers’ Welfare in Nigeria’s Political Transition: Closing the Protection Gaps and Building a Sustainable Safety Net,” the NSITF boss said the essence of social security was to ensure that workers and their families were not abandoned when confronted with circumstances beyond their control.
Represented by the Deputy General Manager and Head of Corporate Affairs, Alexerdra Mede, he explained that workers facing occupational injuries, disabilities and other employment-related risks needed an effective protection system capable of safeguarding their livelihoods and preserving their dignity.
He said: “When we discuss social security, we sometimes become preoccupied with institutions, regulations, contributions and statistics. But at its heart, social security is about people.”
The NSITF boss expressed concern over the implications of technological advancements, artificial intelligence, automation, remote work and the expanding gig economy on workers’ welfare, noting that evolving employment patterns were creating new challenges for conventional social protection systems.
He questioned how social security could be extended to digital-platform workers and people operating outside traditional employment arrangements, insisting that economic participation should not come at the expense of workers’ protection.
“Technological progress must not create a situation where people remain economically active but are inadequately protected.”
He identified improved public awareness, employer compliance, accessible services, reliable data, efficient institutions and sustained stakeholder collaboration as critical to closing existing social protection gaps.
On the Employees’ Compensation Scheme (ECS), administered by the NSITF, Faleye described it as a critical instrument for protecting employees against work-related injuries, disabilities and occupational hazards.
He said the scheme represented a social compact involving the workplace, employers, workers and the wider society, stressing that its effectiveness depended largely on employers understanding and fulfilling their statutory responsibilities.
According to him, strengthening workers’ social protection requires collective commitment from government, organised labour, employers, the media and development partners to build a sustainable safety net capable of cushioning workers and their families against economic and social risks.
He urged stakeholders to make workers’ welfare a priority, particularly as Nigeria navigates its political transition.
Meanwhile, LAWAN honoured Faleye with the Champion of Workers’ Social Security and Safety Award in recognition of his leadership and contributions to advancing workers’ social security and safety.
The award was presented at the event, which brought together stakeholders to examine workers’ rights, welfare and economic justice amid Nigeria’s changing political and economic landscape.
