Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) has pledged continued technical support to The Gambia’s Industrial Injuries Compensation Fund (IICF) under the Social Security and Housing Finance Corporation (SSHFC), reaffirming its commitment to deeper collaboration aimed at strengthening social protection and workers’ welfare across West Africa.
The assurance was given by the Managing Director and Chief Executive of NSITF, Barr. Oluwaseun Faleye, at the closing ceremony of a one week study tour by the Board of the Industrial Injuries Compensation Fund of The Gambia in Abuja.
Represented by the Executive Director (Administration), Barr. Samaila Abdu, Faleye said the relationship between the two institutions would extend beyond the study visit, with NSITF ready to continue sharing technical expertise, practical experience and institutional guidance.
“We see this as a partnership between brothers, working together towards the common goal of strengthening social protection and advancing the welfare of workers across our sub region,” he said.
Faleye described the Gambian delegation’s decision to understudy the Fund as a reflection of the growing cooperation among social security institutions within the region.
He thanked the delegation for the openness and professionalism displayed throughout the engagement, saying the exchange had created an opportunity for both organisations to learn from one another.
According to him, the week long programme examined the evolution of social security administration in Nigeria, tracing the journey from the National Provident Fund to the Employees’ Compensation Scheme established under the Employees’ Compensation Act, 2010.
Both sides also exchanged views on institutional governance, policy development and the future of social security administration in their respective countries.
The discussions also focused on employer registration, compliance management, contribution assessment and the use of technology to improve transparency and accountability.
Faleye said the exchanges reflected a shared determination to strengthen compliance while expanding social security coverage, particularly among underserved sectors of the economy.
He noted that sessions on claims administration, compensation delivery, rehabilitation and return to work programmes highlighted the need to go beyond financial compensation by helping injured workers regain their livelihoods through medical rehabilitation, vocational training and economic reintegration.
The NSITF boss added that research, evidence based policy formulation, actuarial planning and digital transformation also featured prominently during the study tour, while a demonstration of the Employees Compensation Scheme Application showed how technology is improving efficiency, boosting compliance and enhancing service delivery within the Fund.
Faleye welcomed the invitation extended to NSITF to visit The Gambia and observe how lessons from the study tour would be implemented, describing it as another step towards sustaining cooperation between the two organisations.
“As an institution, we continue to learn, innovate and improve. However, we remain committed to sharing our experiences and best practices in areas where we have made meaningful progress,” he said.
He expressed confidence that the partnership would continue to grow, stressing that effective social security administration remains a continuous journey of learning, innovation and improvement.
Responding on behalf of the Gambian delegation, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Trade and Employment, Lamine Camara, thanked NSITF for hosting the study tour and said the knowledge gained would help strengthen The Gambia’s social security system.
Camara said the delegation was keen to expand the collaboration beyond the study visit, particularly in capacity building and research, noting that both countries stand to benefit from exchanging ideas and experiences.
“We are very pleased, though not happy that this tour is coming to an end. We want to take this collaboration further in every area of social security. We are eager to learn from the NSITF experience, especially in research where we are behind. At the same time, our own experience can also benefit Nigeria,” he said.
He also renewed The Gambia’s invitation to NSITF to visit the country as both institutions continue to strengthen ties in advancing workers’ welfare and social protection across the West African sub region.
