The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) has expanded its Employees Compensation Scheme (ECS) coverage to more than 7.6 million workers, as part of broader reforms aimed at strengthening workforce protection, improving institutional efficiency, and deepening social security compliance across Nigeria’s public and private sectors.
Managing Director of the Fund, Oluwaseun Faleye, disclosed this on Wednesday during the International Civil Service Conference 2026, where he highlighted the agency’s reform agenda anchored on digital transformation, transparency, and expanded coverage.
Faleye revealed that the Nigeria Police Force has now been enrolled into the Employees Compensation Scheme for the first time, describing the development as a major milestone in workforce welfare and national security support.
According to him, the inclusion of police personnel under the scheme is expected to boost morale and operational confidence among officers by ensuring financial protection for families in cases of injury or death sustained in the line of duty.
Speaking on the conference theme, “Reforms, Resilience and Results,” the NSITF boss said public institutions must evolve to meet growing demands for efficiency, accountability, and citizen-centred governance in an increasingly technology-driven economy.
He noted that reform within the Fund has focused on improving operational processes, increasing compliance, and restoring stakeholder confidence in the Employees Compensation Scheme established under the Employees’ Compensation Act, 2010.
Faleye explained that when he assumed office in July 2024, the Fund faced challenges including slow claims processing, low public awareness, and uneven compliance levels.
He said the management responded with targeted reforms aimed at repositioning the institution as a more responsive and transparent social insurance agency.
As part of its governance reforms, the NSITF partnered with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to strengthen internal accountability systems and anti-corruption mechanisms across its nationwide operations.
The Fund also launched a digital transformation initiative focused on automated workflows, real-time claims tracking, and standardised processing timelines to improve service delivery and operational efficiency.
On market expansion and compliance, Faleye said the agency embarked on aggressive nationwide engagements with state governments and employers to increase participation in the scheme.
He disclosed that the Fund recently signed a partnership agreement with the Lagos State Government for full implementation of the Employees Compensation Scheme for state workers.
According to him, the NSITF is also advocating the integration of ECS compliance certificates into public procurement requirements, a move expected to increase employer participation and improve workforce protection standards.
Providing performance figures, Faleye said the Fund processed over 22,000 compensation claims in 2024 and recorded a 21 per cent increase in claims payouts.
He added that compensation payments included N90 million to a worker of Seplat Energy, N76 million to dependants of an employee of Nigerian Breweries, N31 million in medical support for a worker of Nestlé Nigeria, and N42.5 million to the family of a deceased employee of Depthwize Nigeria.
Faleye stressed that workforce protection, occupational safety, and social insurance systems are becoming increasingly important for economic stability and productivity growth.
He noted that institutions with strong employee welfare systems are better positioned to sustain productivity, attract investment, and maintain public confidence.
The NSITF boss further disclosed that the Fund partnered with the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to implement the 2025 Safe Workplace Intervention Project, which audited over 200 workplaces nationwide to strengthen occupational safety standards.
He added that the Federal Government’s directive mandating Employees Compensation Scheme coverage for all federal public workers signals a stronger commitment to social protection as part of Nigeria’s wider governance and labour reforms.
Faleye maintained that with the rapid transformation of the global workplace through digitalisation and artificial intelligence, public institutions must adopt proactive systems that anticipate risks, strengthen worker protections, and support sustainable economic growth.