By Joan Nwagwu
The Managing Director, Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Oluwaseun Faleye, has called for stronger and more responsive social protection systems, given Nigeria’s growing population and dynamic labour market.
Faleye made the call on Wednesday in Abuja during the 2026 International Social Security Association (ISSA) West Africa Technical Seminar.
The event was organised by NSITF in collaboration with the ISSA and the National Pension Commission (PENCOM).
The theme of the seminar is “Improving Inclusiveness and Accessibility of Social Security Services Through Effective Communication in West Africa.”
Faleye said Nigeria’s expanding population and evolving nature of work had made a stronger social protection framework inevitable.
“The NSITF, under the Employees’ Compensation Act of 2010, is mandated to provide protection against work-related injuries, occupational diseases, disabilities and death.
“This mandate was not abstract but directly connected to the welfare of workers and the socio-economic stability of families and communities,” he said.
Faleye said that the country’s large youth population, informal economy and changing labour dynamics made responsive systems more urgent.
He said the fund had embarked on reforms, including digital transformation, to improve service delivery, moving from paper-based operations to integrated digital systems aimed at enhancing efficiency, transparency and public confidence.
Faleye added that investments were also being made in claims processing, data management, actuarial planning and stakeholder engagement platforms.
He, however, cautioned that digital transformation required continuous capacity building, institutional reforms and strong governance structures.
The NSITF boss commended ISSA for providing a global platform for collaboration and policy exchange, and thanked the Federal Government for supporting Nigeria’s hosting of the seminar.
He urged participants to engage constructively and share experiences that would strengthen social security systems across West Africa, noting that the goal was to ensure inclusiveness and relevance in a changing world of work.
Also speaking, ISSA Secretary-General, Mr Marcelo Caetano, expressed appreciation to the Nigerian Government and NSITF for hosting the seminar, noting that the partnership had continued to strengthen social security development across the region.
Caetano said strong political will and effective institutions remained critical to achieving social protection goals, adding that NSITF played a key role in translating policies into benefits for workers and their families.
He said the seminar aligned with ISSA’s mission of promoting knowledge sharing and inclusive communication, describing communication as central to building trust, transparency and accessibility in social security systems.
Also, the Chair of the ISSA Liaison Office for West Africa, Mr Kwesi Biney, said effective communication remained a key pillar in modern social security delivery, serving as a bridge between institutions and citizens.
Biney said clear and inclusive communication empowers citizens, including informal workers, entrepreneurs and pensioners, to engage with social security systems.
He added that digitalisation must be supported with community-based outreach to improve service delivery across the region.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Funmilayo Adeyemi
