By Henry Ojelu

LAGOS — The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, NSITF, has called for the adoption of artificial intelligence, AI, and digitalization to revolutionize occupational safety and health, OSH, practices in workplaces, in commemoration of the World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2025.

Speaking during the event in Lagos on Monday, the Regional Manager, Mainland, Mrs. Agboma Okoroafor, said the year’s theme, “Revolutionizing Health and Safety: The Role of AI and Digitalization,” highlights the urgent need for innovation-driven approaches to workplace safety.

Mrs Okoroafor emphasized that safe and healthy workplaces are not privileges but fundamental rights owed to every worker.

She noted that advancements in robotics, smart monitoring, and virtual reality are dramatically reshaping industries, helping to predict risks, improve response times, and minimize human exposure to dangerous tasks.

“Technology must uplift and protect workers, not expose them to new dangers,” she said, while warning that new risks such as ergonomic strain, mental health challenges, and cybersecurity threats must be carefully managed.

She highlighted the role of the NSITF in developing strategies that combine human judgment with digital systems to create safer and more efficient working environments, stating that a human-centred approach remains crucial even as industries automate.

Also speaking at the event, the Mainland Branch Manager, Mrs. Abimbola Yakubu, stressed the need for a shift from traditional compliance-driven safety systems to proactive, technology-enabled solutions.

She said that AI and digital tools allow real-time interpretation of workplace data, enabling organizations to predict and prevent accidents before they occur.

“We are entering a new era where data is not just collected but acted upon in real time,” she stated.

Yakubu explained that NSITF’s role extends beyond compensation to include workplace accident prevention through audits, inspections, and enlightenment programmes.

The event concluded with a call for collaboration among government, employers, and workers to develop sustainable, technology-driven risk management strategies, ensuring that innovation is matched with a strong duty of care for workers.

The World Day for Safety and Health at Work, observed annually on April 28, promotes global action to prevent occupational accidents and diseases and uphold safety as a human right.