By Chinedu Echianu
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Oluwaseun Faleye, has called for a deliberate integration of digital transformation with social protection as businesses across Africa increasingly adopt Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Faleye made the call on Monday at the official launch of the ESBC–InnoPower LLC (USA) Free MSMEs AI Master Training Programme held at the United Nations House in Abuja.
The programme, spearheaded by the ECOWAS Small Business Coalition (ESBC), in partnership with InnoPower LLC (USA) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), is designed to equip micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across the region with AI skills to enable them compete effectively in the digital economy.
Faleye, who was the special guest at the event, described MSMEs as the foundation of Nigeria’s economy, noting that approximately 96 per cent of businesses in the country fall within the MSME category.
Citing data from the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) and the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), he said MSMEs employ millions of Nigerians and sustain numerous families across the country.
“When MSMEs grow, communities prosper. When they innovate, economies become more competitive. And when they become more resilient, nations become stronger,” Faleye said.
He described the AI training initiative as more than a skills development programme, saying it represented an investment in the future competitiveness of West Africa.
However, Faleye cautioned that technological advancement alone could not guarantee business resilience, stressing the need for entrepreneurs to place equal emphasis on the welfare, safety and protection of their workers.
According to him, “Digital transformation and workplace protection are not separate conversations; they are the same conversation.”
He explained that while technology enables businesses to operate more efficiently, social protection gives workers the confidence and security required to contribute productively to the growth of their organisations.
“An enterprise that embraces Artificial Intelligence but neglects the welfare and safety of its workforce has merely modernised its operations without strengthening its resilience,” he said.
The NSITF boss further noted that as businesses expand across the ECOWAS region, there would be a corresponding need for responsive systems of occupational safety, workplace protection and social security.
He reaffirmed the commitment of the NSITF to supporting businesses and workers through stronger partnerships, increased awareness and improved service delivery.
Faleye commended the ESBC, InnoPower LLC and UNDP for bringing together government, private sector and development partners to equip entrepreneurs with the knowledge and tools required to thrive in the digital age.
He urged participants to embrace continuous learning and innovation while placing people at the centre of their business strategies.
“Learn continuously. Innovate boldly. But remember that your greatest asset will always be your people. Protect them. Invest in them,” he said.
Faleye congratulated the organisers and other partners whose efforts made the initiative possible, stressing that the enterprises that would shape Africa’s future would be those capable of combining technological innovation with responsibility and resilience.
The launch was attended by high-level dignitaries, including the ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, representatives of UNDP Nigeria and the UNDP Regional Office for West and Central Africa, as well as the Regional President of the ECOWAS Small Business Coalition, Dr. Abdulrashid Yerima.
Representatives of InnoPower LLC (USA) also attended the event.
The Free MSMEs AI Master Training Programme is expected to be implemented across selected ECOWAS member states, targeting business owners seeking to harness AI for production, marketing and regional trade.
