ABUJA, NIGERIA – Failure to prioritize employee welfare poses a long-term threat to national productivity and industrial harmony, the Managing Director of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Barrister Oluwaseun Faleye, has warned.
Speaking in Abuja at the 4th Nigeria Employers’ Summit organized by NECA, Faleye stressed that disregard for the Employee Compensation Act (ECA) undermines the dignity and safety of workers across critical sectors of the economy.
“The private sector may face operational challenges, but sustainability can only come when we value the safety and welfare of the real drivers of business—the workers,” Faleye stated.
He emphasized that the Employee Compensation Act, which birthed the Employees Compensation Scheme, offers a lawful and practical framework for safeguarding Nigerian workers’ well-being, especially in times of injury or disability.
“It’s not just about compliance; it’s about humanity,” Faleye said. “When employers underpay or ignore safety obligations, they create a hostile work culture that leads to low morale, reduced output, and high turnover.”
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Faleye praised the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) for maintaining an open-door partnership with NSITF to improve workers’ welfare, particularly in the private sector.
He noted that compliance with the ECA is not optional but a legal duty that signals an employer’s commitment to decent work standards. “What we’re building is a work culture that values people, not just profit,” he added.
Workers across Nigeria have long lamented stagnated wages, hazardous work environments, and inadequate compensation in case of accidents—factors that many experts say have fueled rising brain drain and social discontent.
According to labour analysts, noncompliance with employee protection laws worsens the informalisation of work, encourages exploitation, and deepens inequality. Many argue that poor wages contribute to rising insecurity and youth restiveness.
Faleye said the NSITF would intensify its stakeholder engagements and regulatory oversight to protect workers from neglect and abuse. “We won’t back down from our duty to ensure every Nigerian worker has access to justice, compensation, and respect,” he concluded.
The summit drew stakeholders from across Nigeria’s business landscape, with participants agreeing that employee welfare is no longer a luxury, but a strategic imperative for sustainable growth.
