As Nigeria hosts the 2026 International Social Security Association (ISSA) West Africa Technical Seminar, the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), has assured that the nation is ready to facilitate meaningful and solution-driven discussions as part of broader efforts to strengthen social protection systems across West Africa.
Managing Director of the NSITF, Barr. Oluwaseun Faleye, who gave the assurance on Tuesday at a media briefing ahead of the 2026 ISSA West Africa Technical Seminar due for Abuja next week, disclosed that the Fund is set to collaborate with key stakeholders and development partners to entrench social security in workplaces.
He said the seminar, themed “Improving Inclusiveness and Accessibility of Social Security Services through Effective Communication”, is very deliberate and not just an event but part of a broader effort to strengthen social protection systems across West Africa.
Faleye who explained that Nigeria has made significant progress in strengthening its social security architecture, particularly through the Employees’ Compensation Scheme, expanded workplace injury coverage, however stressed the recognition that coverage must deepen, access must become simpler and engagement with employers and workers must improve.
The Managing Director stated, “We look forward to welcoming stakeholders from across the region to Abuja. What we begin in Abuja is not just a conversation; it is a commitment to strengthening protection for millions of workers across West Africa.
“This Seminar comes at a time when social protection systems globally, and particularly in West Africa, are under pressure to evolve. Across our region, millions of workers, especially in the informal sector, remain outside formal social security coverage”.
According to the NSITF boss, “The question is no longer whether social security is important, but how effectively we are delivering it”, adding that “Nigeria, through NSITF, is honoured to host the ISSA West Africa Technical Seminar 2026. The Seminar will bring together: Social security institutions, policymakers, employers and workers’ representatives. The objective is simple but critical: to strengthen how social security systems work in practice, not just in policy”, he stated.
Speaking further, the MD noted that in many cases, the challenge is not the absence of schemes, but limited awareness, complex processes, and low trust in institutions, adding that “Communication is therefore not an add-on, but it is central to expanding coverage and building confidence”.
He stressed that hosting the seminar reflects Nigeria’s commitment to continuous improvement and regional leadership as “West Africa shares common structural realities: Large informal economies, young and mobile populations, evolving labour markets. This makes it essential to learn from one another and adapt solutions to our realities, not copy models blindly”, adding that the ISSA platform provides exactly that opportunity for peer learning and collaboration.
The Managing Director, who explained that strengthening social security is a shared responsibility, said development partners also play a key role in supporting innovation and capacity building.
He listed organisations and institutions that will be participating in the conference to include the Federal Ministry of Labour, PENCOM, NECA, MAN, NLC, TUC, UNESCO, and the ILO. Many other organisations will also participate.
He requested that governments provide enabling policies, institutions must deliver efficiently, employers must comply and engage, and workers must be informed and empowered.
On the expected outcomes of the conference, the managing director said the conference is expected to generate practical insights for improving service delivery, strengthen institutional collaboration across the region and highlight communication strategies that work in real contexts, stating that “Ultimately, the goal is to move from coverage in theory to coverage in reality”.
According to him, “Social security must not remain a system people hear about; it must become a system people can access, understand, and trust.”
Emphasising the importance of communication in improving inclusiveness and accessibility of social security apparatus, the Managing Director reiterated that “Communication is not just an add-on, but it’s about expanding coverage and building trust in the formal sector. And it is through communication that we should be able to really communicate and create awareness and close understanding of the social safety in workplaces”.
The ISSS Technical Seminar 2026 will hold at the Abuja Continental Hotel, from 22nd to Wednesday 23rd April, 2026
