…seeks clearer governance structure in new Bill
…As NLC, NECA, CSOs demand wider consultations
The federal government and the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) have endorsed the proposed Nigeria Social Security Trust Fund Bill, 2025, describing it as one of the most ambitious and transformative reforms of the country’s social protection framework in decades.
However, while backing the bill, the NSITF and other critical stakeholders, including organised labour, employer groups, and civil society organisations, warned that without clearer governance structures, stronger accountability safeguards, and stricter compliance enforcement, the reform could end up replicating the decades-long weaknesses that have undermined the nation’s social security regime.
Presenting the NSITF’s position at a public hearing organised by the Senate Committee on Labour and Employment in Abuja, the agency’s Managing Director, Mr. Oluwaseun Faleye, applauded the initiative as a “strategic and forward-looking intervention” that aligns with global standards, including the ILO Social Security Convention 102 and the Tripartite Consultation Convention 144.
He noted that consolidating and repealing the NSITF Act, 1993, and the Employees’ Compensation Act, 2010, was long overdue, especially following the Pension Reform Act 2014, which removed contributory pension management from the Fund.
“This consolidation eliminates duplication, resolves conflicts, and strengthens the legal foundation of the Fund,” Faleye said.
Faleye listed key innovations in the bill, such as electronic claims processing, protection of children of deceased workers through trust arrangements, cultural recognition of multiple dependants, and inclusion of traditional medical practitioners in injury management.
He also hailed the provisions that empower the governing board to periodically review occupational disease schedules, penalise employers who fail to report workplace accidents, and enforce higher safety standards.
He, however, cautioned that the bill contains “a significant conceptual gap” by conflating the roles of the governing board and management, warning that this could blur oversight, weaken accountability, and sabotage operational efficiency.
“The Bill must clearly distinguish the Governing Board as the oversight body, Management as administrators, and the Agency as the implementing structure,” he argued, recommending governance reforms similar to the Federal Inland Revenue Service model.
Faleye affirmed NSITF’s commitment to working with lawmakers, pledging technical assistance to ensure the legislation is strengthened before passage.
Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi, commended the collaborative process and described the bill as a major step toward a transparent, inclusive, and globally aligned social security regime for Nigerian workers.
He emphasised full inclusion of the informal sector, transparency in administration, and employer compliance as vital to building a sustainable system.
Meanwhile, the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero, adopted a more cautious tone.
While acknowledging the urgency of reform, he insisted that compliance with existing social security laws remains abysmally low, especially among private-sector employers.
“Of what use are laws that are not complied with?” he asked, urging improved enforcement rather than continuous restructuring.
Ajaero rejected attempts to limit labour representation within the tripartite system, warning against provisions that confer “exclusive and unchecked powers” on the agency.
He demanded the creation of an independent investment committee with representation from labour and employers to safeguard workers’ funds.
He also insisted that while the Minister of Labour should receive reports, the Fund must remain independent and not be reduced to a parastatal structure under full ministerial control.
The Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA), represented by Mr. Thompson Akpabio, criticised sections of the bill that could impose excessive financial burdens on employers, collapse corporate governance lines, and create legal contradictions.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Labour, Senator Diket Plang, assured stakeholders that their concerns would be reflected in the final draft.
“Even those who support the bill have pointed out areas needing review. These inputs will guide our work,” he said.
The hearing attracted labour unions, employer bodies, CSOs, ministries, and policy experts.
