By Chinedu Echianu
The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) has dismissed allegations of a management crisis and mass staff resignations, maintaining that recent staff departures were part of a structured workforce reform aimed at improving operational efficiency.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Fund says reports portraying the organisation as being engulfed in internal turmoil misrepresented an ongoing restructuring process approved by its governing board.
The response followed allegations circulated by a coalition of civil society organisations, which cited a June 4, 2026 publication alleging widespread resignations and governance concerns within the agency.
According to NSITF, the staff exits in question resulted from a Voluntary Retirement Exercise (VRE) introduced under an institutional reform programme designed to address workforce gaps identified through an independent audit.
The Fund explained that the exercise, publicly announced on March 3, 2026, targeted senior management personnel, including Senior Managers, Principal Managers, Assistant General Managers, Deputy General Managers and General Managers.
Management said the initiative was based on recommendations from an audit conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), with the objective of enhancing efficiency while ensuring eligible employees received full retirement benefits.
NSITF disclosed that the programme was later extended following approval at the Board’s 83rd meeting held on April 28, 2026.
“There has been no mass resignation at the NSITF, and there is no managerial crisis within the organisation,” the statement says.
The Fund stressed that participation in the retirement programme was voluntary and that all exits were processed in line with Public Service Rules and applicable labour laws.
Addressing claims that employees were pressured to leave, NSITF said no verified complaints of intimidation or victimisation had been submitted through its official grievance mechanisms.
Beyond the dispute over staff exits, the agency raised concerns about what it described as the growing circulation of unverified allegations against public institutions.
It argues that accusations of financial misconduct, including claims relating to multiple bank accounts and an alleged N297 billion scandal, remain under review by relevant authorities and have not been proven.
“The coalition itself acknowledges that these allegations remain unverified, yet they are being used to demand the removal of principal officers of the organisation,” the statement noted.
The Fund maintained that it remains subject to statutory oversight and is open to any lawful investigation supported by credible evidence.
NSITF also rejected calls for the removal of its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Barrister Oluwaseun Faleye, and the Chairman of its Board, arguing that such demands are not supported by established facts.
According to the organisation, ongoing reforms have led to improvements in service delivery, expanded coverage and greater operational efficiency, developments it says contradict claims of institutional dysfunction.
The dispute highlights broader concerns around transparency, workforce restructuring and accountability in public institutions, as agencies balance reform efforts with growing public scrutiny over governance and financial management.
