The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) has called for stronger judicial interpretation, adjudication and enforcement of the Employees’ Compensation Act (ECA), 2010. NSITF said this would ensure workers receive justice and adequate compensation for work-related injuries, disabilities and other occupational risks.

NSITF’s managing director, Oluwaseun Faleye, made the call on Thursday in Abuja at the opening of the Fund’s 2026 Legal Stakeholders’ Engagement. He said laws protecting workers were insufficient without effective interpretation, fair adjudication, and enforcement mechanisms to guarantee their rights.

Mr Faleye restated 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.

Mr 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 boss said the Fund would continue to improve claims processing, strengthen administrative procedures, promote awareness and encourage employers to comply with the act. 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,” Mr Faleye said.

(NAN)