NSITF-Rand Mutual Partnership Will Advance Workers’ Protection Across Africa – Faleye

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ABUJA – Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Barrister Oluwaseun Faleye, has said the emerging partnership between the Fund and South Africa’s Rand Mutual Assurance (RMA) will significantly advance workers’ protection and strengthen social security systems across Africa.

Faleye stated this on Tuesday while receiving a high-level delegation from Rand Mutual Assurance, led by its Group Chief Executive Officer, Bilal Adam, at the NSITF headquarters in Abuja.

The NSITF boss described the visit as the beginning of a strategic relationship between two of Africa’s foremost social insurance institutions, united by a common goal of improving workers’ compensation, occupational safety and health, and social protection administration across the continent.

“Your visit marks the beginning of what we hope will evolve into a mutually beneficial and enduring relationship between our two organizations, and highlights our shared commitment to advancing workers’ compensation, occupational safety and health, and social security administration on the African continent,” Faleye said.

He noted that the partnership comes at a time when African nations are increasingly seeking innovative approaches to strengthen social protection systems and respond effectively to the changing dynamics of work and emerging occupational risks.

Commending Rand Mutual Assurance for its longstanding contribution to workers’ compensation in South Africa, Faleye highlighted the institution’s remarkable history and evolution.

“We are particularly delighted to receive an institution of such remarkable pedigree. Established in 1894, Rand Mutual Assurance has built an enviable reputation over more than a century as one of Africa’s foremost workers’ compensation and social insurance institutions.

“Your evolution from a specialized compensation scheme for the mining industry into a modern, purpose-driven social insurer with a strong emphasis on prevention, rehabilitation, care and shared value creation is both admirable and inspiring,” he said.

According to him, the partnership offers an opportunity for both organizations to share experiences, exchange ideas and jointly develop solutions that will strengthen compensation systems and workplace safety frameworks in their respective countries.

“At NSITF, we recognize that the future of social protection lies in collaboration, innovation and the exchange of experiences. Consequently, we view this visit not merely as a courtesy engagement, but as the beginning of a strategic partnership capable of transforming workers’ compensation and occupational injury insurance administration across our respective jurisdictions,” he stated.

Faleye stressed that as two of Africa’s largest economies, Nigeria and South Africa have a responsibility to provide leadership in the development of effective and sustainable social protection systems.

“Nigeria and South Africa are two of Africa’s leading economies, and I believe that our institutions have a unique responsibility to provide thoughtful leadership and champion best practices that will strengthen social protection systems throughout the continent,” he added.

The NSITF Managing Director identified several areas for potential collaboration, including digital transformation, claims administration, occupational health and safety, rehabilitation and return-to-work programmes, capacity building, research and policy development.

He expressed optimism that the engagement would yield practical outcomes capable of improving service delivery and enhancing workers’ welfare in both countries.

Reaffirming NSITF’s commitment to strengthening the Employees’ Compensation Scheme (ECS), Faleye described the scheme as one of Nigeria’s most important social security interventions, providing compensation, rehabilitation and support for workers who suffer workplace injuries, occupational diseases, disabilities or death arising from employment.

He said the ECS remains critical to protecting workers and their dependants through medical care, rehabilitation services and compensation benefits, while also offering employers a structured framework for managing workplace liabilities.

According to him, the changing nature of work requires social insurance institutions to continuously improve their systems and adopt innovative approaches that place workers’ welfare at the centre of service delivery.

“These areas are essential to building a modern and responsive compensation system that protects workers while supporting employers and contributing to national productivity,” he said.

Faleye further emphasized that collaboration and knowledge-sharing among social insurance institutions remain vital to strengthening social protection systems and ensuring that workers receive timely and adequate compensation when workplace incidents occur.

He expressed confidence that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) expected to be drafted and presented for ratification by the NSITF Management Board during the visit would establish a framework for sustained cooperation between both institutions.

“Together, let us continue to build stronger institutions, safer workplaces and a more inclusive and resilient social protection system for the benefit of workers across Africa,” he said.

As part of the visit, officials of both organizations are expected to participate in a series of technical sessions aimed at sharing experiences and identifying opportunities for collaboration in areas critical to the advancement of workers’ compensation and social insurance administration.