Managing Director/Chief Executive of NSITF, Mr Oluwaseun Faleye
Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) has assured officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) of compensation, medical care and financial support for their families in the event of injuries, disabilities, occupational diseases or death in the line of duty.
Managing Director/Chief Executive of NSITF, Mr Oluwaseun Faleye, gave the assurance on Wednesday at the sensitisation and onboarding ceremony of the Corps onto the Employees’ Compensation Scheme (ECS) at the NSCDC National Headquarters in Abuja.
Faleye said the scheme was particularly important to personnel who risk their lives daily protecting critical national assets and infrastructure, responding to emergencies and safeguarding lives and property.
“An institution entrusted with protecting the nation must therefore have a dependable system for protecting its own workforce. Those who protect our nation must themselves be protected. That is the principle that brings us together today,” he said.
Established under the Employees’ Compensation Act, 2010, the ECS provides compensation and support to workers who suffer work-related injuries, disabilities and occupational diseases, as well as their eligible dependants in the event of death in the course of employment.
Faleye explained that affected NSCDC personnel would be entitled to medical treatment, hospitalisation, medication and rehabilitation, including prosthetic and assistive devices where necessary.
The scheme also provides income support during temporary incapacity and compensation for permanent partial or total disability, while families of officers who die in the line of duty can access statutory benefits.
He cited the risks associated with protecting critical infrastructure, rescue operations and exposure to hazardous conditions as reasons the scheme was especially relevant to the Corps.
Faleye commended the Commandant General of NSCDC for initiating the partnership, noting that the Corps registered with NSITF on August 23, 2024, and had demonstrated commitment by making provision for the scheme in its 2026 budget and engaging the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation on budgetary arrangements.
He, however, urged the Corps to move beyond registration and payment of the statutory one per cent contribution by establishing dedicated ECS desks at its national, state and area command levels.
According to him, the desks would serve as contact points for reporting workplace injuries, guiding affected officers and their families through claims procedures and maintaining communication with NSITF.
He also called for the appointment of a central coordinating officer to oversee the partnership.
The NSITF boss assured the Corps that the Fund would provide technical and operational support through its Compliance, Claims and Compensation, and Occupational Health and Safety teams to facilitate personnel registration, data harmonisation, sensitisation and claims administration.
He said the success of the partnership should not be judged by the number of officers registered or contributions paid, but by how quickly injured personnel receive support and whether eligible beneficiaries can access their entitlements.
“Our commitment does not end with today’s ceremony; we intend to build a responsive and enduring partnership,” he said.
Declaring the programme open, the Commandant General of NSCDC, Dr Ahmed Abubakar Audi, described the onboarding as a strategic step towards strengthening the welfare and protection of officers and men of the Corps.
Audi, who was represented by the Deputy Commandant General, Technical Services, DCG Ibrahim Ningi, commended NSITF for its commitment to the welfare of the personnel.
He said the Corps plays a critical role in Nigeria’s internal security architecture, with officers routinely exposed to occupational hazards while protecting national assets, managing disasters and responding to emergencies.
He stressed that the effectiveness of a security organisation depended not only on its operational capacity but also on how well it protected and supported its workforce.
“Consequently, the welfare, safety and protection of our personnel must remain a priority. We recognise that the effectiveness of any security organisation is not determined solely by its operational capacity, but also by the extent to which it protects, motivates and provides adequate support for its workforce,” he said.
Audi said the sensitisation programme would equip the Corps’ Insurance Desk Officers with the knowledge required to handle registration, onboarding, claims processing, reporting obligations and other operational requirements of the scheme.
He directed participants to apply the knowledge acquired in their respective commands and formations, while urging relevant officers to maintain accurate personnel records, submit required information promptly and establish effective communication channels with NSITF.
The Commandant General said the Corps was committed to ensuring that all eligible personnel were registered and could access the benefits provided under the Act.
He added that the partnership must translate into practical protection rather than end with sensitisation and administrative arrangements.
“We must move beyond sensitisation to actual implementation, ensuring that no eligible personnel is left out of the process,” he said.
Audi expressed confidence that sustained collaboration between both organisations would strengthen personnel welfare and build a more secure, motivated and productive workforce
