Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) has said expanding social security coverage for millions of Nigerian workers who remain outside the Employees’ Compensation Scheme (ECS) has become its biggest priority, with management calling for stronger employer compliance and faster compensation for injured workers.

This is despite recording about 85 per cent of its 2026 contribution target within the first half of the year.

The Fund said while contribution collections have improved, success could no longer be measured by revenue alone but by the number of employers complying with the Employees’ Compensation Act, the speed of claims settlement and the number of workers brought under social protection.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive of NSITF, Oluwaseun Faleye, disclosed this at the opening of the Fund’s 2026 Half-Year Management Performance Review (MPR), yesterday, where he revealed that the organisation had attained approximately 85 per cent of its yearly contribution target despite undergoing significant institutional changes.

According to him, the first half of the year was marked by the implementation of the Voluntary Exit Exercise, which required offices across the country to reorganise operations and assume new responsibilities without disrupting service delivery.

Faleye commended members of staff for adapting to the transition, describing their resilience as evidence that the institution’s greatest strength lies in its workforce.

He, however, stressed that the second half of the year would be judged less by the volume of contributions collected than by the Fund’s ability to improve compliance with the Employees’ Compensation Act, extend social security protection to more workers and provide faster, more efficient compensation services.

The Managing Director said the objective of the performance review was not to identify failing offices but to strengthen collaboration, share best practices and improve outcomes across all regions.

Also speaking, the Executive Director (Operations), Mojisola Alli-Macaulay, said the Fund must move beyond measuring activities and begin evaluating its success by the impact its services had on employers and workers.

According to her, the theme of this year’s review, “From Performance to Impact: Strengthening Compliance, Enhancing Service Delivery and Expanding Social Security Coverage,” reflects the need to ensure operational targets translate into meaningful improvements in workers’ welfare.