By Victor Ahiuma-Young

The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, NSITF,  has overhauled its organisational structure, commenced a major digital transformation and expanded coverage under the Employees’ Compensation Scheme, ECS.

The Managing Director of the Fund, Mr Oluwaseun Faleye, disclosed this, when the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Dr Kamil A. Shoretire, paid a familiarisation visit to the NSITF headquarters in Abuja.

He informed that the reforms undertaken by the current management since assuming office in July 2024 were aimed at transforming the Fund from an institution heavily dependent on manual processes into a more efficient, responsive and accountable organisation.

According to him, the management inherited an institution characterised by significant reliance on manual operations, a top-heavy management structure, career stagnation, gaps in the deployment of human and material resources, and institutional processes requiring modernisation.

Quoting the late literary icon, Chinua Achebe, Faleye said: “A man who does not know where the rain began to beat him cannot say where he dried his body,” stressing that the management had to confront the Fund’s challenges honestly before embarking on reforms.

He said one of the first steps taken was a comprehensive staff audit designed to provide an objective assessment of the Fund’s workforce structure and organisational requirements.

“One of the first things we did was to undertake a comprehensive staff audit and provide an objective assessment of our workforce structure and organisational needs,” he said.

Faleye explained that the Fund had also embarked on a digital transformation programme to replace predominantly manual processes with integrated and responsive systems.

He said the management was simultaneously addressing structural imbalances through a Voluntary Exit Exercise designed to create a leaner and more functional organisation, with clearer responsibilities and improved opportunities for career progression.

On the working environment, Faleye disclosed that the Operations Directorate had been relocated to the more modern Mukhtar El-Yakub Building, while branches across the country were undergoing renovation and upgrading.

He explained that offices operating under branch-in-branch arrangements were being provided with dedicated spaces, while furniture, ICT equipment, printers and transportation capacity were being deployed progressively.

According to him, the management is also investing in sustained capacity-building for staff as part of efforts to improve efficiency and service delivery.

Faleye said the internal reforms were already producing results, particularly in expanding the Fund’s coverage of Nigerian workers.

He disclosed that the NSITF had successfully onboarded treasury-funded Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and commenced payment of claims, with the first batch of five beneficiaries recently receiving compensation at an event witnessed by the Permanent Secretary.

“We are at an advanced stage of engagement with the Lagos State Government and Taraba State Government, while discussions with a number of other states are progressing,” Faleye said.

He noted that partnerships with several Federal MDAs and regional organisations were also being strengthened to deepen coverage under the Employees’ Compensation Scheme, particularly among workers in the informal and emerging sectors of the economy.

Reflecting on the progress recorded since the management assumed office, Faleye said the Fund had undergone significant changes.

“After two years, I believe it is fair to say that NSITF is no longer where it was when this management assumed office. The digital transformation has begun. The organisational structure is being progressively reconfigured. The top-heavy management structure is being addressed,” he said.

The NSITF managing director, however, acknowledged that the reform process remained a work in progress, noting that significant challenges still had to be addressed.

He identified the expansion of coverage to the informal workforce, improved compliance, stronger data and digital integration, and enhanced claims administration as some of the areas requiring further attention.

Faleye described the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment as a strategic partner rather than merely an oversight institution in the effort to strengthen Nigeria’s social protection architecture.

He called for stronger collaboration between the Fund and the Ministry to accelerate the reform process.

“Our commitment is to continue to leave no stone unturned in building an NSITF that is transformed, efficient, effective, accountable and transparent; an institution that workers can trust, employers can engage with confidently, and the Government can rely upon to deliver,” he said.

Faleye also reaffirmed his commitment to leaving the Fund in a better condition than he met it.

“I have repeatedly assured the staff of NSITF that I will leave the Fund better than I met it. That remains my commitment,” he declared.

Responding, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Dr Kamil Shoretire, commended the NSITF management for what he described as bold reforms and visible improvements in the Fund.

Shoretire pledged the Ministry’s continued support for efforts aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s social security system.

He urged the NSITF management to collaborate with sister agencies to expand Employees’ Compensation Scheme coverage to the informal sector.

The Permanent Secretary also stressed the importance of preventive workplace safety programmes, saying the Fund should place greater emphasis on preventing workplace accidents and injuries rather than focusing only on compensation after incidents occur.

He further called for cooperation between the management and the Board of the Fund to ensure the smooth running of its operations.

The visit provided an opportunity for the Ministry and NSITF management to review the Fund’s reform programme and discuss ways of strengthening its contribution to Nigeria’s social protection system.