The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) has called for stronger enforcement of the Employees’ Compensation Act (ECA) 2010, warning that workers cannot enjoy the protection promised by law if court decisions are not implemented.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive of the Fund, Oluwaseun Faleye, made the call on Thursday at the opening of the NSITF 2026 Legal Stakeholders’ Engagement in Abuja, stressing that justice must go beyond legal provisions and court judgments to deliver practical relief to affected workers.
Faleye said the effectiveness of the Employees’ Compensation Scheme depended on how the law was interpreted, how disputes were resolved and whether lawful decisions were enforced.
The two-day engagement, themed “Enhancing Judicial Interpretation, Adjudication and Enforcement under the Employees’ Compensation Act (ECA), 2010,” brings together judicial officers, government representatives, employers, organised labour and other stakeholders to examine ways to improve the administration of the scheme.
Faleye said this year’s meeting builds on last year’s focus on collaboration in administering the scheme, with greater attention now being given to how workers can secure the rights guaranteed by the law.
He noted that workplace accidents could leave workers and their families facing financial, emotional and social hardship, making effective compensation more than a legal requirement.
“Does the law provide a framework for protection? Yes. Does the Employees’ Compensation Act establish a system for compensation for work-related injury, disease, disability or death? Yes. But the existence of a law does not by itself guarantee that its promise will be fulfilled,” he said.
The NSITF chief identified three critical stages in the delivery of justice: interpretation, adjudication and enforcement.
He said the provisions of the Act must be understood and applied in line with their purpose, disputes must be resolved fairly and without avoidable delays, and lawful decisions must be enforced so that justice does not end with the pronouncement of judgment.
The distinction, he noted, is important because workers need to see the practical benefits of their legal entitlements, while employers also require a predictable legal environment in which their obligations are fairly determined.
Faleye described the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) as central to this process, saying its interpretation of the Act affects not only the parties involved in individual disputes but also the understanding of workers’ rights and employers’ responsibilities in future cases.
He assured participants that the Fund would continue to improve its administrative processes, claims handling and public awareness while encouraging employers to comply with the law.
However, he acknowledged that the NSITF could not achieve these objectives alone, urging stakeholders to identify areas requiring legal clarity, improve cooperation, reduce avoidable disputes and develop practical measures to strengthen compliance.
“The value of a stakeholder engagement lies not merely in the quality of speeches delivered but in the clarity of understanding it produces and the improvements that follow,” he said.
Faleye called for frank and constructive deliberations that would produce actionable recommendations for improving the administration of the scheme.
In his goodwill message, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi, said the strength of a nation depended not only on the laws it enacted but also on how those laws were applied and the integrity of the institutions responsible for their administration.
He said public confidence rested on the assurance that justice would be administered fairly and impartially, with due regard for the dignity of every individual.
Referring to the late Justice Chukwudifu Oputa’s description of the judiciary as “the last hope of the common man,” Dingyadi said the statement carried a responsibility that public institutions must not take lightly.
He noted that for many citizens, the justice system represented their final recourse when other avenues failed, making fairness, integrity and sound judgment essential to maintaining public trust.
“The credibility of our institutions is strengthened not by words alone, but by the quality and integrity of their actions,” the minister said.
Dingyadi commended the NSITF management under Faleye for organising the engagement, describing it as an important initiative to strengthen the implementation of the Employees’ Compensation Act.
He also acknowledged the President of the National Industrial Court, judicial officers, members of the Bar and other participants for their commitment to improving the administration of the scheme.
Delivering the keynote address, the President of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Justice Benedict Bakwaph Kanyip, advocated stronger cooperation among institutions to improve the Employees’ Compensation Scheme and ensure that its benefits reach eligible workers and their dependants.
Kanyip commended the NSITF for providing a platform for engagement with the judiciary, noting that closer collaboration could improve the Fund’s impact and service delivery.
The engagement was attended by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, justices of the National Industrial Court, members of the Bench and Bar, employers’ associations, organised labour and development partners.
Technical sessions are scheduled to examine legal and evidential issues in compensation disputes, alongside challenges relating to compliance and enforcement.
The NSITF administers the Employees’ Compensation Scheme under the Employees’ Compensation Act 2010. The scheme provides compensation to employees or their dependants for work-related injury, disease, disability or death, while the Fund also promotes occupational safety and health, rehabilitation of injured workers and employer compliance with the law.
