The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) has called on the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to lead efforts in expanding Nigeria’s legal framework for workplace protection and social security to cover workers in the informal economy and gig workers who currently fall outside traditional employment arrangements.
NSITF’s Managing Director and Chief Executive, Oluseun Faleye, made this call during the 66th Annual General Conference of the NBA in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. He noted the need for the law to adapt to Nigeria’s rapidly changing labor environment, where many people earn livelihoods outside conventional employer-employee relationships.
Faleye, represented by General Manager Bridget Ashang, highlighted the growth of informal work, digital platforms, and the gig economy. These developments, he said, have created new categories of workers whose employment status and access to workplace protection are not adequately addressed under the existing legal framework.
According to Faleye, social security should not be viewed as charity, but as an issue of social justice and workers’ dignity. He pointed out that Nigeria’s existing framework still reflects the traditional formal-sector employment model, leaving gaps for millions of people working in the informal economy and newer forms of employment.
To address this, Faleye urged the NBA to promote greater awareness and understanding of workplace protection and social security. He also called for stronger advocacy and advisory roles in the reform of labor laws, including amendments to expressly accommodate informal-sector workers and gig workers.
The NSITF chief emphasized the need to clarify and expand the legal meanings of “employee,” “employer,” and “workplace” to align with the changing nature of work. He also stressed the importance of addressing platform liability, particularly in cases involving workplace injuries and compensation.
Faleye urged the NBA to support the ratification and domestication of relevant International Labour Organisation conventions. He also called for greater inclusiveness in drafting laws, ensuring that legal frameworks do not exclude entire categories of workers from protection.
“Social security is how we honour that sweat,” Faleye said, challenging the NBA to work with NSITF and other stakeholders to strengthen both the legal and institutional foundations of social protection in Nigeria.
He warned that unless existing gaps are addressed, large numbers of Nigerian workers could remain outside systems designed to protect them against workplace injuries, loss of income, and other employment-related risks.
Faleye concluded by urging the NBA to deploy law as a tool for social change, capable of responding to the realities of an increasingly diverse labor market.
The recent pause of immigrant visa applications in the U.S. over public charge rules highlights the importance of addressing such issues in an evolving labor setting.
