By Emmanuel Ulayi

In a bold push to strengthen workers’ welfare across the country, the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, NSITF, has taken its advocacy for the Employees’ Compensation Scheme, ECS, directly to state governments, recording growing acceptance and concrete commitments from key stakeholders.

Spearheading this initiative is the Managing Director/Chief Executive of the Fund, Oluwaseun Faleye, whose state-by-state engagement strategy is fast redefining the implementation of social protection policies in Nigeria. 

Since assuming office on July 15, 2024, Faleye has moved to reposition the scheme by engaging governors and top government officials, with a view to integrating ECS into state systems and processes.

The approach, which departs from routine sensitisation campaigns, is already yielding results, as several states across the North-East, South-South and South-West have begun aligning with the scheme. 

The development signals a growing momentum that observers say could significantly expand workers’ protection and deepen institutional accountability nationwide.

When Faleye assumed office as Managing Director/Chief Executive of NSITF on July 15, 2024, it was evident that a new era had begun for the Fund. 

He left no one in doubt that a reformer had arrived at the agency, equipped with the capacity to transform the NSITF and inject fresh momentum into the welfare of Nigerian workers.

In less than two years, Faleye has succeeded in restoring public confidence in the Fund by building strong institutional trust through deliberate and sustained efforts. Central to this effort is the repackaging and aggressive promotion of the Employees’ Compensation Scheme, ECS, in the public sector, complemented by strategic inter-agency engagement to enhance the scheme’s visibility.

Undoubtedly, the strategy of engaging governors as key stakeholders has begun to yield positive results. 

So far, the Managing Director has taken his advocacy campaign to at least three governors across different geopolitical zones, with encouraging responses.

In the North-East, Faleye engaged the Governor of Taraba State, Agbu Kefas, with both parties agreeing to collaborate on the ECS. During a meeting at the Government House in Jalingo, he called for deeper institutional collaboration between the Fund and the Taraba State Government to strengthen implementation of the scheme.

He emphasised that the engagement was far from ceremonial, describing it as part of a deliberate strategy to build structured partnerships with “progressive state governments committed to workers’ welfare and institutional sustainability.” 

He stressed that the Employees’ Compensation Scheme is not merely a statutory obligation but a critical social protection instrument that guarantees dignity for workers and stability for employers.

“When a worker is injured, disabled, or loses their life in the course of duty, the government’s response defines public trust and reinforces confidence in leadership,” Faleye said, noting that expanding ECS coverage aligns directly with the governor’s welfare-driven agenda.

He highlighted the need to move beyond dialogue to measurable outcomes, proposing practical steps to expand compliance across state MDAs, intensify sensitisation of employers and contractors, and strengthen workplace safety awareness.

To ensure structure and accountability, he suggested designating a focal ministry or official to coordinate engagement with the NSITF. 

He also disclosed that the Fund has established an internal Strategic Inter-Agency Coordination framework to track timelines and deliverables.

Faleye further outlined the mutual benefits of strengthened ECS coverage, including improved worker protection, reduced litigation exposure for employers, enhanced industrial harmony, and reinforced commitment to structured social protection.

In a move to institutionalise compliance, he recommended integrating the ECS Compliance Certificate into the state’s procurement and contracting processes, noting that this would reinforce existing statutory obligations rather than create new ones.

He also conferred on the governor the title of Ambassador for ECS Advocacy in Taraba State and the North-East region.

Responding, Governor Kefas assured that the state would fully embrace the scheme for the benefit of workers and immediately constituted a high-powered committee to interface with the NSITF and ensure compliance.

In the South-South, Faleye extended his advocacy to the Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, who applauded the initiative, describing the ECS as a major boost to workers’ welfare and a positive reflection of government efforts.

Faleye explained that his visit included presenting compensation cheques to beneficiaries and seeking the state government’s support for ECS adoption, noting that Rivers State could emerge as a leader in implementation within the region.

He also urged the governor to make the NSITF Compliance Certificate a prerequisite for doing business with the state—an idea the governor accepted, indicating that implementation would begin with contractors handling government projects.

Governor Fubara assured that Rivers State would prioritise subscribing to the scheme, noting that it could also help reduce corruption by addressing workers’ concerns about future uncertainties.

More recently, the advocacy train moved to the South-West, with a strategic stop in Lagos State, where both the NSITF and the state government agreed in principle to align on ECS implementation.

Faleye reiterated the Fund’s readiness to support Lagos State through technical onboarding, sensitisation, claims administration, and occupational safety interventions. 

He proposed immediate steps, including identifying a coordinating ministry, appointing a focal person, and convening a joint technical session.

In response, the Lagos State Head of Service, Mr. Bode Agoro, who represented the government, announced the state’s decision to fully implement the Employees’ Compensation Scheme, including the establishment of a dedicated unit to manage it.

Already, the advocacy drive is gaining traction, with increasing interest from other states eager to adopt the ECS. Under Faleye’s leadership, the NSITF is witnessing renewed momentum, creating an enabling environment for impactful reforms and strengthening Nigeria’s social protection framework.