The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has voiced strong opposition to proposed amendments to the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) and the Employees’ Compensation Act (ECA), warning that the changes could politicise workers’ contributions and weaken protections for employees.
Speaking at the 2025 Annual Conference of the Labour Correspondents’ Association of Nigeria (LACAN) in Abuja, NLC President Joe Ajaero described the proposed amendments before the Senate as “a brazen effort to capture and politicise workers’ funds.”
He stressed that contributions to the NSITF are intended solely for the welfare of workers, particularly those injured on the job, and must not be diverted for political or other extraneous purposes.
“This fund represents the lifeblood of workers’ solidarity.
“It was contributed by workers for their welfare, not as a political slush fund. We will resist this appropriation with every fibre of our being, ” he said.
Ajaero also condemned bills that could undermine workers’ rights, including the proposed Special Economic Zone laws, which would allow some companies to operate outside national labour standards.
He argued that such measures violate International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions 87 and 98, creating “islands of impunity” where workers could be denied a voice and basic rights.
Urging journalists to hold policymakers accountable, he said: “Comrades of the pen, your recorders and keyboards are as powerful as our placards. Together, we must counter misinformation and defend the dignity of the Nigerian worker.”
The conference also highlighted the growing trend of casualisation in Nigerian banks.
Olusoji Oluwole, President of the Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance, and Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI), reported that more than 60 per cent of employees in the sector are now contract or outsourced staff.
“What began as a temporary cost-saving measure has become a permanent feature, leaving many workers with low pay, minimal job security, and restricted access to benefits,” Oluwole said, calling for urgent regulatory attention.
Representing NSITF Managing Director Oluwaseun Faleye, Mrs. Bridget Ashang reiterated that the ECA was designed to protect workers in high-risk industries, such as oil and gas.
She highlighted non-compliance and evasion of contributions as persistent challenges, exacerbated by outsourcing and casual employment, which obscure employer liability and leave many injured workers uncompensated.
Dr. Vanessa Phala, Director of the ILO Country Office for Nigeria, noted that poverty and inequality remain pervasive.
She emphasised that promoting decent work, social protection, and skills development is the most effective pathway to reducing inequality and improving living standards for Nigerian workers.
The NLC’s position signaled a continued push to safeguard workers’ rights, ensure proper management of social insurance funds, and resist policies that could erode hard-earned labour protections.
