NASS asks states, LGs to immediately enforce workers’ compensation scheme

By Victor Ahiuma-Young

The National Assembly has resolved to actively engage state governors and local government chairmen to ensure full participation and compliance with the Employees’ Compensation Scheme, ECS, across all tiers of government.

This was one of the key resolutions of a two-day strategic retreat for the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Labour, Employment and Productivity, organised by the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, NSITF, from August 4 to 5, 2025, in Lagos.

According to a communique jointly signed by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Labour, Employment and Productivity, Senator Diket Satso Plang; his House of Representatives counterpart, Adegboyega Adefarati; NSITF Board Chairman, Olushola Olofin; and NSITF Managing Director/Chief Executive, Oluwaseun Mayomi Faleye, the lawmakers committed to pushing for full compliance with the scheme at all government levels.

The communique read:  “The senators and members of the House of Representatives shall actively engage their respective state governors and local government chairmen to ensure full participation and compliance with the Employees’ Compensation Scheme, ECS, thereby expanding the scheme’s coverage across all tiers of government.

“The senators and members shall collaborate closely with colleagues in the appropriation committees to guarantee that provisions for ECS contributions are adequately captured and funded in the annual budgets of all ministries, departments and agencies, MDAs.

“The Health, Safety and Environment, HSE, officers of the NSITF shall receive focussed training on digital reporting systems and compliance monitoring tools.

‘’This initiative will enhance workplace safety oversight, improve data-driven decision-making and encourage a proactive approach to accident prevention.’’

The lawmakers also pledged unwavering support for the NSITF from both the National Assembly and the federal ministry of labour and employment to help it discharge its mandate effectively, strengthen operational capacity and achieve the objectives of the ECS.

Urged wider overage, digitalisation

On expanding the ECS, the communique urged the NSITF to intensify efforts through aggressive sensitisation campaigns, strategic partnerships, and innovative approaches to bring more employers and workers under the scheme’s umbrella.

“The Board and management of NSITF shall align the fund’s governance and operational frameworks with International Social Security Association, ISSA, guidelines on good governance, ensuring increased transparency, accountability and sustained high performance across all areas of its operations,” it added.

The retreat also called for a stakeholders’ meeting on the pending bill to amend existing NSITF and ECS laws before the public hearing, describing it as necessary to strengthen social security and enhance labour productivity nationwide.

Participants commended the NSITF management for what they described as remarkable progress.

According to them, there has been “a notable increase in the number of employers registered under the ECS over the past year, reflecting growing awareness and compliance with the scheme’s provisions.”

It was also observed that “the number of claims processed and paid out within the reporting period has doubled, compared to previous years, indicating improved efficiency in claims administration, but also highlighting an increase in workplace incidents that require attention.”

Despite these achievements, the communique noted that state and local governments had yet to fully embrace the ECS, creating a substantial coverage gap that must be addressed urgently.

The retreat resolved to prioritise strategic reforms to Nigeria’s social security systems, expand coverage to grassroots communities, improve benefits, and ensure the long-term sustainability of social insurance programmes.

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