By Victor Ahiuma-Young

The Managing Director/Chief Executive of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, NSITF, Oluwaseun Faleye, has raised the alarm over the rising toll of workplace deaths and injuries in Nigeria, stressing that the full enforcement of the Employees’ Compensation Act (ECA) 2010 is the only guarantee of protection for workers and their families.

Speaking at the 65th Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, in Enugu, Faleye declared that the time had come for Nigeria to treat workplace safety as a matter of national emergency.

“This is not about statistics alone. It is about men and women who go to work in the morning but never return home. It is about children who suddenly find themselves orphans because their parents died in unsafe workplaces. A nation that neglects its workers undermines its own destiny,” he told participants.

Global tragedy, Nigerian realityCiting figures from the International Labour Organisation, ILO, Faleye disclosed that more than 2.8 million workers die annually across the world due to occupational accidents and work-related diseases. In addition, 374 million suffer non-fatal injuries every year, many of which leave permanent disabilities.

He said: “These numbers are sobering, but they are also a wake-up call. Workplace deaths and injuries are preventable if laws are enforced and if employers are compelled to treat the health and safety of workers as a legal obligation rather than a burden.”

According to him, Nigeria mirrors these global challenges, but with peculiar weaknesses. 

He lamented that only a fraction of workplace accidents are reported, safety compliance is weak, and millions of informal workers remain outside the safety net of the ECA.

“Over 80 percent of our workforce is in the informal economy where safety standards are nearly absent. These workers are not invisible. They are your artisans, your drivers, your market women, your technicians. When they suffer accidents, there is no protection, no compensation, no justice,” he said.

ECA 2010: Shield for workers

Faleye described the Employees’ Compensation Act, ECA, passed 15 years ago, as a milestone in Nigeria’s labour protection history. Before the Act, injured workers had to endure lengthy and often inconclusive litigation processes to secure compensation.

“With the ECA, we replaced a broken system with one that guarantees immediate treatment, rehabilitation, and compensation. The law created a collective pool where all employers contribute. From that fund, injured workers and their families are supported,” he explained.

The NSITF boss emphasized that the Act is based on the “no-fault principle,” meaning that a worker is entitled to compensation regardless of who is at fault in the accident.

“This principle is the heart of the Act. It removes the needless adversarial battles between workers and employers and instead focuses on restoring dignity, healing, and hope,” Faleye said.

Lawyers must lead compliance

Turning to the NBA, Faleye challenged lawyers to take the lead in compliance with the ECA, warning that law firms themselves are not immune to occupational risks.

“From prolonged exposure to stress and mental health challenges, to the physical strain of court appearances and travel, lawyers also face workplace hazards. Law firms must comply with the Act and contribute to the Employees’ Compensation Scheme,” he declared.

He further called on the NBA to include evidence of compliance with the ECA as part of the requirements for the conferment of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

“If we insist on pension compliance for many corporate processes, then compliance with the ECA must also become non-negotiable. Lawyers should lead by example, not only in the courtroom but also in the protection of workers’ rights,” he said to loud applause.

Technology, enforcement

Faleye revealed that the NSITF is already introducing technology-driven initiatives to strengthen enforcement and monitoring. These include a digital dashboard for real-time reporting of workplace accidents, predictive analytics to identify high-risk sectors, and contributory micro-schemes designed to capture workers in the informal sector.

He, however, admitted that technology alone would not solve the challenges without stronger enforcement, consistent awareness campaigns, and stiffer penalties for defaulting employers.

“Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), which drive our economy, are the biggest culprits in non-compliance. We cannot allow this to continue. Protection of workers must not depend on the size of the employer, but on the sanctity of the law,” Faleye insisted.

Wrapping up his address, the NSITF boss described the Employees’ Compensation Act as more than just a legal framework.

“The ECA is a covenant of dignity, a shield of protection, and a beacon of justice for Nigerian workers. No law will serve its purpose if it remains on paper. We must enforce it, live by it, and defend it. A nation that fails to protect its workforce fails to protect its future,” he said.