By Chinedu Echianu
Legal practitioners have been urged to play a more active role in protecting workers’ rights and strengthening the enforcement of laws governing workplace compensation and social security in Nigeria.
The call is expected to take centre stage at a dedicated session by the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) at the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, from August 21 to 28, 2026.
A statement from the Fund’s media team says the session, titled “Expanding the Legal Frontiers of Workplace Protection and Social Security Beyond Limits in Nigeria,” will be led by the NSITF Managing Director/Chief Executive, Oluwaseun Faleye.
According to the statement, the engagement is expected to focus on how lawyers can help close the gap between the provisions of the Employees’ Compensation Act (ECA) 2010 and their implementation, particularly in ensuring that workers injured, disabled or affected by occupational diseases receive the benefits to which they are entitled.
The NSITF said the session would build on its engagement at last year’s NBA conference, which focused largely on creating awareness about the ECA, adding that the 2026 discussion would shift attention towards concrete measures for improving compliance, enforcement and access to workplace protection.
Faleye is expected to outline the Fund’s efforts to expand coverage of the Employees’ Compensation Scheme (ECS) and strengthen collaboration with the judiciary and the legal profession in enforcing the provisions of the law.
A major issue expected to feature prominently is the practice of payroll under-declaration by employers, which the NSITF has identified as a significant obstacle to workers’ access to adequate compensation.
The Fund said legal practitioners have an important role in scrutinising employer obligations, advocating for workers and supporting enforcement of statutory provisions designed to protect employees.
The NSITF maintains that stronger involvement by lawyers, judges and other justice-sector stakeholders is essential to addressing these gaps and ensuring that workplace protection becomes a practical reality for workers across the country.
