15 Years After, NSITF Delivers Major Milestone Achievement .... As Families of Federal Workers Receive First-Ever N31.7m Compensation

Oluwaseun Faleye, NSITF Managing Director and Chief Executive, while presenting the cheques, described the exercise as more than a ceremonial event, insisting it represented government's commitment to protecting workers and their families.

Fifteen years after the Employees' Compensation Act (ECA) 2010 came into force, the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) has made history with the first direct payment of compensation to beneficiaries from treasury-funded Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), disbursing over N31.7 million to five families affected by workplace death and injury.

The landmark presentation, held on Tuesday in Abuja, marks a major milestone in the implementation of the Employees' Compensation Scheme (ECS) for federal civil servants, signalling what the NSITF described as the translation of a long-standing legal promise into tangible support.

Presenting the cheques, NSITF Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Oluwaseun Faleye, described the exercise as more than a ceremonial event, insisting it represented government's commitment to protecting workers and their families.

"We are not here for a ceremony. We are here to keep a promise," Faleye declared, noting that the compensation scheme had finally moved "from paper to people's hands."

He admitted that while no amount of money could replace a loved one or erase the pain of workplace injuries, the compensation sends a powerful message that affected workers and their families have not been forgotten.

The breakthrough follows the recent integration of federal civil servants into the Employees' Compensation Scheme and the establishment of an ECS Help Desk at the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation earlier this year to facilitate claims processing.

Faleye praised the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, for driving compliance with the Employees' Compensation Act across the public service, saying her leadership ensured civil servants were no longer excluded from a welfare framework already available to other Nigerian workers.

He assured beneficiaries that the Fund would build on the milestone by accelerating claims processing, strengthening workplace safety standards and expanding coverage to every eligible federal worker.

The NSITF boss also challenged MDAs yet to fully comply with the scheme to immediately enrol their workers, warning that workplace risks remain inevitable but protection should not.

The beneficiaries received varying compensation based on their cases, with payments ranging from N2.45 million to N11.88 million, bringing the total disbursement to N31.72 million.

Commending the initiative, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Walson-Jack, described the cheques as lawful entitlements rather than acts of charity, stressing that the payments demonstrate government's commitment to supporting workers who suffer injuries, occupational diseases or death in the line of duty.

She said the operationalisation of the Employees' Compensation Act for federal civil servants under the current administration reflects President Bola Tinubu's commitment to workers' welfare and aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda.

According to her, the partnership between her office and NSITF, which recently produced an Employees' Compensation Scheme Help Desk, is already yielding practical results by simplifying access to information, claims processing and support services for affected workers.

Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Dr. Kamil Ayinde Shoretire, also hailed the initiative, describing it as a demonstration of the Federal Government's resolve to strengthen workplace safety, improve workers' productivity and deepen social protection.

Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, Sandra Audu of the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) applauded NSITF's professionalism throughout the verification process, revealing that officials visited her in hospital to complete documentation because of her health condition.

She said the seamless process restored her confidence in public service delivery and described the compensation as a practical demonstration of government's commitment to the welfare of Nigerian workers.

The event is widely regarded as a watershed moment in Nigeria's social protection system, ending a 15-year wait for federal civil servants to begin benefiting directly from the Employees' Compensation Scheme.