Assures families of Afriland Towers fire disaster victims prompt payment of benefits
The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) has called for a comprehensive and inclusive reform of the country’s social protection system.
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NSITF, Oluwaseun Faleye, said the move becomes necessary to protect workers and make them more resilient, especially with the disruptive impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in workplaces.
Faleye gave the promise at the weekend, in a paper he delivered on “Social Security and Protection for Nigerian Workers Amid AI Disruption” during the 2025 Labour Writers Association of Nigeria (LAWAN) workshop, held in Ibadan, Oyo State capital.
The NSITF boss, while noting that social protection was for sustainability in the nation’s economic activities with workers as critical factors along the value chain, warned that Nigeria must act fast to ensure workers are not left behind as AI reshapes industries, jobs, and the global economy.
Also speaking on the theme, “Future of Work in the Era of Artificial Intelligence: A Wake-Up Call for Stakeholders,” Faleye lamented that Nigeria’s social protection coverage remains low, especially among informal sector workers, who he said made up over 80 per cent of the labour force.
He, however, expressed optimism that AI could also be used to enhance social protection systems through digital identity and predictive analytics.
However, the management of the NSITF has promised to fast-track payments of claims and benefits due to the injured, as well as families and dependents of victims of the Afriland Towers fire disaster.
The assurance was given when the NSITF team paid a condolence visit to the management of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) at its Ikoyi, Lagos office and that of United Capital Plc and dependants of the deceased victims.
The Fund’s management team, led by the General Manager of Compliance, Abdullateef Musa, who stood in for Faleye, expressed profound condolences to FIRS and the families of the victims.
He prayed for the repose of the souls of the departed and strength for the families, friends and colleagues to continue to bear the loss.
Responding, an Assistant Director with the FIRS, Innocent Ugwuoke, thanked NSITF’s management for identifying with the Service and the families of the victims.
Ugwuoke, who further commended the prompt response of the Fund and the Employees’ Compensation Scheme (ECS), which ensured that enrolled workers and their dependents are not left high and dry in times of emergencies, advocated for further sensitisation to acquaint employers and employees of the benefits of enrolling in the scheme.
