The Managing Director of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Barrister Oluwaseun Faleye, has stressed that the partnership between the NSITF and the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) remains central to strengthening social protection and ensuring worker safety across the country.

He said the Fund and the Congress share a common mandate to defend workers’ rights, uplift their welfare and drive a stronger national safety net.

Faleye made this clear while addressing the National Executive Council of the NLC in Lagos, where he described the Congress as a “veritable partner” whose collaboration is essential to safeguarding Nigerian workers.

He noted that the NSITF’s role in improving workplace safety and responding to injuries or deaths at work depends heavily on the shared commitment of both institutions.

“As a stakeholder in the welfare and advancement of the welfare of the members of the Nigerian Labour Congress across the nation, I use this opportunity to bring the goodwill of the Board and Management of NSITF to Nigerian Labour Congress. The Fund is your veritable partner in the social protection and security of all of Nigerian workers whose welfare you represent”.

While commending the NLC’s leadership for its consistent push for better working conditions, Faleye added that the impact of their joint efforts is visible across the labour landscape.

“On this occasion, I want to place on record the steadfastness of NLC and its leadership in advocating for enhanced welfare for all Nigerian workers, and use this opportunity to salute all of the personal sacrifices that you’ve demonstrated towards the collective advancement of workers’ rights and benefits. This steadfastness is evident in the work that we do together as stakeholders in progress.

“We see this commitment every day from the passion and courage demonstrated by our presidents and all of the leadership of NLC.

“Of course, in the work that your representatives do on the Board of the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund, every time advancing the cause of workers’ benefits and workers’ protection through the mandate of the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund.

“And it is for this reason that I find it very, very instructive that I’ve been invited today to speak to you about the role of the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund in supporting your objective,and which is the welfare of Nigerian workers”. He said

On the statutory mandate of the NSITF, the Managing Director explained that “As you may all be aware, the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund is mandated to provide benefits, to pay claims and compensation in case of any work related injury. And this is very, very important. We do this in so many ways.

“First, by prevention; Like you all know, we say that prevention is better than cure. And in that preventive mechanism is our responsibility under the Health and Safety Initiative, where we seek to encourage workers and employers, most importantly, ensuring that workers all over the country, both in the private and public sector, are working and operating from a safe working place.

“Beyond that, where this prevention fails, as is sometimes inevitable, our primary responsibility is to ensure that any injury, any death or any disability in the course of work, we come to the aid of the employee.

“And we do this all over the country, either in the private sector or in the public sector. And it is for that reason that I feel it is very, very instructive that I come here to address you, given that you are at the forefront of advancing the cause of employees.

“It is very important for us to understand that we must continue to hold employers responsible for compliance with the Employee Compensation Scheme.

“This is because it is through that scheme that we can build the necessary resilience that we need in our workforce. Imagine a workforce where every worker believes and understands that if they go to work and anything happens in the course of that work, they have the protection of the agency that is responsible to provide compensation or claims or medical refund in case of any accident,” Faleye said.