From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
The Managing Director of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Olawaseun Faleye, has called for the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digitalization to enhance workplace safety and health standards in Nigeria.
Faleye made the call on Tuesday at the Occupational Safety and Health Forum, held at Merit House, Abuja, to commemorate the World Day for Safety and Health at Work.
According to a statement from the Fund, its MD said embracing AI in occupational safety would revolutionize prediction, prevention, and protection mechanisms in workplaces.
However, he cautioned that the fundamentals of safety and health should not be neglected amid the technological shift.
“AI would introduce innovations in workplace safety with prediction, prevention and protection revolutionised, which will in turn, promote safety and health in the workplace,” he said.
Faleye also stressed the importance of continuous learning and adaptation, highlighting the need for sustained investment in training and education to ensure that workers can effectively utilize emerging tools and systems. He further advocated for strong ethical compliance and the establishment of proper safeguards in integrating digital tools in workplace safety systems.
The NSITF boss concluded by reaffirming the Fund’s unwavering dedication to employee welfare.
He also commended the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) for its ongoing support and praised the organising team for delivering a timely and relevant event.
Earlier, while welcoming participants, the Executive Director of Operations at NSITF, Mrs. Mojisolaoluwa Alli-Macaulay, described the gathering as a convergence of experts, practitioners, and stakeholders seeking to identify best practices and solutions in the digitalization of occupational safety.
She noted that the forum aimed to equip Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate the challenges of AI and digitalization for a safer and healthier work environment in Nigeria.
In a goodwill message, the Director-General of NECA, Mr. Smart Oyerinde, lamented the poor state of workplace environments across the country, describing the forum as an opportunity to renew collective commitment to workers’ safety and strengthen stakeholder collaboration.
“AI has come to stay and is shaping things and how we respond to safety in the workplace,” he said, adding that NECA is offering free training initiatives to support this transition.
Also delivering a goodwill message, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Safety Standards, David Zakarias, applauded the NSITF leadership for its commitment to reform.
He highlighted AI’s potential to transform how hazards are monitored, prevented, and addressed, while emphasising the need for a human-centered approach to innovation.
“Behind every tool and innovation are humans. An innovation can only be measured in form of the lives it actually protects,” he stated.
Zakarias affirmed the commitment of the National Assembly to prioritizing workers’ safety. “The House remains steadfast in our collective pursuit of safety in the workplace,” he added.