NSITF disburses N1.1b compensation on workplace accidents

The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) has disbursed over N1.1 billion to workers and families affected by workplace accidents, injuries, and occupational diseases, pledging to strengthen social protection and extend coverage across Nigeria’s formal and informal sectors.

The payments include lump sums and ongoing monthly benefits for some beneficiaries under the Employees’ Compensation Scheme (ECS).

Speaking at the ongoing Lagos International Trade Fair in Lagos on Wednesday, the Managing Director and Chief Executive, NSITF, Oluwaseun Faleye, who was represented by the General Manager , Claims and Compensation, Mrs Nkiru Ede Ogunnaike, said the payments reflect the Fund’s commitment to “Strength in Support.”

 “Our gathering today is not just another event, it is a reaffirmation of our shared commitment to a principle that holds the power to transform lives.

“At NSITF, support is not a passive gesture; it is active, deliberate, and deeply human,” she said.She highlighted compensation for several key cases, including over N42 million paid to the family of a Depthwize Oil & Gas employee who died in a boat capsize, with ongoing monthly benefits of more than N2 million until the last child attains 21 years.

“Families of deceased employees at Mobil Producing Nigeria Plc and Nigerian Breweries Plc have received tens of millions of naira each, with monthly payments continuing until the youngest children reach adulthood. Over N484 million has been paid to 39 employees of the Nigeria Customs Service, while Shell Exploration and Production, Zenith Bank, Unity Bank, Medplus, Nestle Nigeria Plc, Planned Parenthood Federation of Nigeria, and Indigo Drilling have also received significant compensation to support affected workers and their families,” she said.

Ogunnaike explained that ECS was designed to protect workers against accidents, injuries, occupational diseases, or death arising out of or in the course of employment.

“This promise is upheld through a powerful alliance and the tripartite structure that defines our Fund, being the employer, who contributes and complies; the employee, whose safety, dignity, and well-being are at the heart of our mission; and the government, who provides the legal framework and oversight that make this system fair, transparent, and sustainable,” she said.

She urged stakeholders to embrace compliance, compassion, and accountability.

“Benefits compensation is not charity; it is justice, it is empowerment, it is nation-building.“A society that protects its workers is a society that prospers. Let us be that society. Let us be that strength,” she added.

Also speaking, President and Chairman of Council of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce & Industry,  Gabriel Idahosa, highlighted NSITF’s role in strengthening Nigeria’s business environment.

He said the Fund’s recent disbursement of over N6.6 billion in compensation to more than 103,000 beneficiaries demonstrated its contribution to business productivity.

NSITF now covers more than 183,000 employers and 7.6 million employees nationwide, reflecting its growing impact in the formal economy.

Idahosa noted that the informal sector is also a focus, citing recent sensitization drives in Anambra State’s industrial hub aimed at bringing artisans, traders, transporters, and small business owners under the national social security net.

“Social protection must extend beyond offices; it must reach every worker contributing to Nigeria’s productive strength,” he said.

He described the Trade Fair as a meeting point between enterprise, skills, manufacturing, and trade and protection  social insurance, workplace safety, and compliance.

“When businesses operate in an environment where workers are secure, value creation accelerates, investments deepen, and trade prospers,” Idahosa said.

He added that NSITF plans to reach over one million new subscribers annually as part of its expansion strategy, urging business leaders and policymakers to align their operations with social security, workforce welfare, and sustainable value creation.

“Let us continue to strengthen the bond between protection and production, between coverage and commerce,” he said, calling for collective engagement to ensure workers are secure and businesses thrive in a compliant, safe, and productive environment.

NSITF disburses N1.1b compensation on workplace accidents - The Nation Newspaper