The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) says it has enrolled 7.6 million workers into the Employees’ Compensation Scheme (ECS).
The Managing Director of the Fund, Oluwaseun Faleye, disclosed this at the 2026 International Civil Service Conference in Abuja.
He said: “We have enrolled over 7.6 million employees into the Scheme.
“We secured the enrolment of the Nigeria Police Force into the ECS, a historic first after engagements with the Inspector-General of Police.
“When our officers know that their families will be protected should they sustain injury or lose their lives in the line of duty, their confidence and gallantry will increase, and our national security will be safer for all of us,” he said.
Speaking on the theme of the conference, “Reforms, Resilience and Results,” Faleye said the theme was not only aspirational but also a call to action.
He noted that across the world, public institutions are under unprecedented pressure to deliver efficient services, restore public confidence, adapt to rapid technological and economic disruption, and ensure that governance remains people-centred and sustainable.
According to him, in Nigeria, the conversation around reform is no longer optional but urgent.
He maintained that reform is the foundation of institutional progress, noting that institutions that resist change eventually become ineffective and disconnected from the people they are meant to serve.
“True reform is not merely structural it is cultural. It demands a shift in mindset from bureaucracy to responsiveness, from routine administration to strategic impact, from excuses to execution.”
The Managing Director revealed that when he assumed office on July 15, 2024, he inherited an institution with significant operational challenges despite its enormous potential.
He explained that the Employees’ Compensation Scheme, a landmark social protection instrument established under the Employees’ Compensation Act, 2010, was not reaching its full potential.
He further noted that other reforms included digital transformation, with investment in automated workflows, real-time tracking of claims, and standardised processing timelines to ensure that no Nigerian worker or their family is subjected to unnecessary delays in compensation.
The NSITF also expanded its coverage and compliance through a nationwide campaign to extend the Employees’ Compensation Scheme to every part of the country.
On processing and service delivery, Faleye said: “In 2024, the NSITF processed 22,350 compensation claims. We achieved a 21 per cent increase in claims payouts. We paid ₦90 million in compensation to a Seplat worker, ₦76 million to the dependants of a Nigerian Breweries employee, ₦31 million in medical bills for a Nestlé worker, and ₦42.5 million to the family of a deceased Depthwize employee.
“These are not just numbers; they are families who received justice, dignity, and support in their most difficult moments.”
He added that a resilient public institution can withstand pressure, adapt to change, and continue to deliver value even in difficult times, stressing that resilience begins with people.
