NSITF seeks stronger judicial enforcement of Employees’ Compensation Act
NSITF seeks stronger judicial enforcement of Employees’ Compensation Act
The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) seeks for stronger judicial interpretation, adjudication and enforcement of the Employees’ Compensation Act (ECA), 2010.
The Fund said this would ensure workers received justice and adequate compensation for work-related injuries, disabilities and other occupational risks.
The Managing Director of NSITF, Mr Oluwaseun Faleye, made the call on Thursday in Abuja at the opening of the Fund’s 2026 Legal Stakeholders’ Engagement.
The two-day engagement, themed “Enhancing Judicial Interpretation, Adjudication and Enforcement under the Employees’ Compensation Act, 2010,” focuses on translating statutory rights into practical justice for Nigerian workers.
Faleye said the existence of laws protecting workers was insufficient without effective interpretation, fair adjudication and enforcement mechanisms to guarantee their rights.
“The existence of a law does not by itself guarantee that its promise will be fulfilled,” he said.
The NSITF managing director stressed the need to strengthen the implementation of the Act.
He said effective implementation required proper understanding and application of legal provisions, fair resolution of disputes without unnecessary delays, and compliance with lawful judgments and orders.
According to him, weaknesses at any of these stages could undermine public confidence in the Employees’ Compensation Scheme and deny workers their legitimate entitlements.
Faleye described the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) as pivotal to labour justice, noting that its interpretation of the Act shaped workplace relations and guided the resolution of future disputes.
He said workers needed assurance that legitimate compensation claims would be addressed, while employers required a predictable legal environment where their obligations were fairly determined.
The NSITF managing director said the Fund would continue to improve claims processing, strengthen administrative procedures, promote awareness and encourage employers to comply with the Act.
Read Also: Old students president seeks alumni-govt collaboration in…
He urged stakeholders to use the engagement to identify practical solutions, clarify legal uncertainties, strengthen cooperation and reduce avoidable disputes in administering the compensation scheme.
“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,” Faleye said.
In his goodwill message, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Muhammadu Dingyadi, said public confidence in institutions depended on the fair, impartial and dignified administration of justice.
Recalling the late Justice Chukwudifu Oputa’s statement that “the judiciary is the last hope of the common man,” Dingyadi said the justice system must protect citizens whose other avenues for redress had failed.
He said public trust demanded wisdom in judgment, integrity in public service and an unwavering commitment to fairness.
He added that institutional credibility depended on actions rather than words.
“The credibility of our institutions is strengthened not by words alone, but by the quality and integrity of their actions,” the minister stressed.
Dingyadi commended the NSITF management for convening the engagement, describing it as an important national initiative to strengthen the implementation of the Employees’ Compensation Act.
Delivering the keynote address, the President of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), Justice Benedict Kanyip, advocated stronger institutional collaboration.
He said such collaboration would improve the scheme and ensure intended beneficiaries received their benefits.
Kanyip commended the NSITF for creating a platform for engagement with the judiciary.
He said the initiative would strengthen the Fund’s impact and improve service delivery under the scheme.
