In a bold move to reinvigorate the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) under its new leadership, the agency has embarked on a comprehensive tour of its branches across the country.
The tour was initiated by Mrs. Mojisolaoluwa Macaulay, the Executive Director of Operations, with the first visits to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Mararaba branches in the Abuja Region. According to a statement by Nwachukwu Godson, General Manager of Corporate Affairs at NSITF, the initiative marks a significant step in the agency’s ongoing efforts to reposition itself.
During the tour, Mrs. Macaulay underscored the NSITF’s central mission: ensuring workplace safety and managing compensation for employees who suffer injuries or illnesses related to their jobs. She emphasized the importance of intensifying stakeholder advocacy and increasing employer participation in the Fund, key objectives that align with the agency’s broader strategic goals.
Beyond these external aims, Mrs. Macaulay also highlighted the critical importance of staff welfare. The branch tours, she explained, are designed to gain a deeper understanding of branch operations and to identify opportunities for improvement.
“This administration, led by a highly knowledgeable lawyer with an outstanding background in corporate finance, Oluwaseun Falaye, was carefully selected by the President to breathe new life into the NSITF, recognizing the vital role it plays in fostering a healthy national workforce,” Macaulay remarked.
She further elaborated on the agency’s mandate, stating, “The NSITF is entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring workplace safety, and it manages contributions from both public and private employers. These contributions are used to compensate employees who suffer injuries, disabilities, or diseases in the course of their work. Dependents of employees who die on the job are also provided for.”
Macaulay expressed the leadership’s dedication to fully realizing this mandate by unlocking the Fund’s potential through enhanced stakeholder advocacy. She called for greater employer engagement across all sectors, aiming to increase the Fund’s utilization rate for the benefit of worker-beneficiaries.
“In addition to this core mission, the well-being of our employees in the 57 branches and 12 regions across the country, who work tirelessly to implement the Employees’ Compensation Scheme, is of utmost importance to us,” she added. “These tours are crucial for equipping us with firsthand knowledge of the challenges and successes at our various branches.”
Conveying a message from the Managing Director/Chief Executive and the Executive Management, Macaulay assured staff that their welfare is now a top priority. Reflecting on her past successes in Lagos, she expressed confidence that the positive impact would be replicated in Abuja, pledging to leave the NSITF in a stronger position.
“For me, this assignment is an opportunity to prove that the misconceptions about me do not define who I am. I am committed to showing my true capabilities through this role, and the responsibility of this task rests heavily on my shoulders,” she stated.
Macaulay also pledged that the leadership would address the provision of adequate working tools, aiming to eliminate barriers to optimal performance. She called on all staff to remain committed and to support the ongoing efforts to reposition the NSITF.
The Executive Director was accompanied on the visit by key members of the management team, including Arc. Kabir Ma’aji, General Manager of Compliance; Barr. Nkiru Ogunnaike, General Manager of Claims and Compensation; Tony Eke, General Manager of Social Security; Chika Onyewuchi, General Manager of the Informal Sector; and Bridget Ashang, General Manager of the Abuja region, among others.