The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) and the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) have urged employers across the country to treat workplace Safety and workers’ welfare as a core business priority for improved performance and sustainability.
The call was made on Thursday in Enugu during the NSITF–NECA Safe Workplace Intervention Project (SWIP) 2025 Interactive Enlightenment Forum and Awards Ceremony.
Speaking at the event, NECA President, Mr. Ifeanyi Okoye, described SWIP as a strategic collaboration aimed beyond regulatory compliance, stressing that it serves as a practical engagement and learning platform for employers.
Okoye said organisations that protect workers and guarantee compensation for work-related injuries or occupational diseases are better positioned to remain resilient, competitive and sustainable.
According to him, the forum promoted workplace Safety and social protection through direct engagement with employers from the South-East and South-South regions, while also supporting improved safety standards nationwide.
“The programme reinforces the importance of workplace Safety and effective implementation of the Employees’ Compensation Act 2010 across the country,” he said.
He noted that the initiative combined enlightenment with awards to recognise organisations demonstrating exemplary commitment to workplace Safety, while also creating space for honest dialogue on challenges and practical solutions to enhance compliance.
Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening occupational safety and health systems nationwide.
She said SWIP aligned with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises workers’ dignity, Safety and productivity as pillars of national development.
Onyejeocha urged employers to fully leverage the initiative to improve compliance and protect workers, describing workplace Safety as an investment in productivity, sustainability and human dignity rather than an operational cost.
She explained that the Employees’ Compensation Act 2010 guarantees compensation for work-related injuries, diseases and fatalities, while promoting prevention and risk management, adding that programmes like SWIP help translate the law into practical action.
NSITF Managing Director, Mr. Oluwaseun Faleye, said NECA had partnered with the Fund for over 15 years to advance workplace Safety across Nigeria.
He said the forum recognised compliant organisations, encouraged continuous improvement and showcased best practices to strengthen compliance across regions.
Faleye stressed that where an employer complies with the law, any injured worker is entitled to compensation and rehabilitation.
Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, represented by the Commissioner for Trade, Investment and Industry, Dr. Samuel Ogbu-Nwobodo, said the state government had partnered with NECA to enhance the ease of doing business while promoting safer workplaces.
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