By Johnbosco Agbakwuru, Abuja

Nigeria is charging ahead on workplace safety with the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund, NSITF, and Nigerian Employment Consultative Association, NECA, wrapping up a nationwide audit of 200 companies.

They’ve now unveiled game-changing incentives—brand-new ambulances, Personal Protective Equipment, PPE, fire extinguishers, and more—to honor top performers under the Safe Workplace Intervention Project (SWIP) 2025.

This bold move flips the script from punishment to partnership, uniting government, labor, and employers to slash accidents and enforce labour laws.

Launched at a vibrant interactive forum and awards ceremony in Abuja on Friday, the programme spotlights excellence while coaching laggards.

Briefing journalists, the Director-General of
NECA, Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, said: “Organisations that excelled in the nationwide audits will receive tangible safety support, while others will be guided to improve.”

On the prizes, he said: “Two companies will receive ambulances in Lagos, the same number in Abuja to cover the northern region, while Enugu will host awards for organisations in the South-East and South-South.

“Beyond ambulances, modern PPEs and essential HSE equipment will be distributed to encourage wider compliance.”

Oyerinde tied it to global shifts, invoking the International Labour Organisation (ILO). “Health and safety is no longer just a policy matter; it is now a human rights issue. Once you are a member of the ILO, you are bound by these conventions whether or not you ratify them.”

He slammed reluctant bosses, saying: “Employers still reluctant to invest in worker safety—such positions are no longer defensible.”

On hidden dangers, he warned, “We spend a significant part of our lives at work. Poorly designed chairs, for example, may not show their impact immediately, but the damage often appears later in life. Silence by workers in unsafe environments amounts to complicity.”

On his part, Managing Director and CEO of the NSITF Barrister Oluwaseun Faleye hailed the NECA tie-up as transformative.

According to him: “The Employee Compensation Act is strong, but legislation alone cannot guarantee compliance. Stakeholder engagement and practical understanding are essential, and that is what SWIP has achieved.”

He pitched safety as smart business: “Safety should be seen as an investment, not a burden. Through awareness and engagement, employers begin to appreciate its long-term value.”

Noting the 2026 rollout despite the 2025 branding, Faleye called it “strategic for setting the tone for the year,” crediting public nods for sparking “voluntary compliance, particularly in the private sector.”

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment’s , Dr. Salihu Usman represented by Occupational Safety and Health Director Mrs. Florence Owie, praised the collaboration.

He said: “No fewer than 200 workplaces were assessed across the six geopolitical zones. The level of transparency, professionalism and cooperation recorded is highly encouraging.”

He linked it to bigger goals: SWIP bolsters the Employees’ Compensation Act 2010, fueling productivity, decent work, and sustainable development.

Stakeholders say this engagement-first model marks a pragmatic pivot, proving safety pays off—for workers, firms, and Nigeria’s economy.