By Joan Nwagwu
The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) and the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) have announced plans to recognise excellence in workplace safety nationwide.
The initiative is part of the Safe Workplace Intervention Project (SWIP), reintroduced to strengthen occupational safety and health standards across the country.
The Director-General of NECA, Mr Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, disclosed this at the SWIP 2025 interactive and enlightenment fora and award ceremony in Abuja on Friday.
Oyerinde said that no fewer than 200 companies had been audited across the six geopolitical zones for the awards.
He explained that the recognition would encourage voluntary compliance among employers across public and private sectors.
“We will be giving winners ambulances and other safety equipment to organisations demonstrating excellence in Occupational Health and Safety (OSH),” he said.
He added that rewarding compliant organisations would reduce reliance on enforcement and penalties, while fostering a positive safety culture.
Oyerinde said that occupational health and safety had recently become a core convention of the International Labour Organisation, making it binding on all member states.
He said that workplace safety was increasingly being viewed as a human rights issue, reflecting global shifts in labour standards.
Oyerinde commended the leadership of the NSITF for sustaining collaboration and deepening institutional commitment to worker protection nationwide.
He added that emerging realities, including artificial intelligence and remote work, required rethinking of workplace safety frameworks.
Oyerinde said that NECA would continue to partner the NSITF to address emerging risks and align Nigeria with international best practices.
Mr Oluwaseun Faleye, Managing Director of the NSITF, said that the Employee Compensation Act (ECA) was a robust law addressing workplace injuries, rehabilitation and compensation, but required active stakeholder engagement.
According to him, NSITF ensures proper insurance management, employers benefit from reduced litigation risks, workers are guaranteed protection, and government enforces international best practices.
He saith that the initiatives encourage voluntary compliance, showing employers practical benefits of safety measures beyond enforcement alone.
Faleye called on the media to support the initiative, noting that public enlightenment on ECA compliance would strengthen the national labour ecosystem.
He said the activities under SWIP would commence in Lagos on January 20, while Enugu would be on January 22, with a grand finale scheduled in Abuja on January 27.
Also, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Dr Salihu Usman, commended NECA and NSITF for sustaining SWIP.
Usman, represented by Mrs Florence Owie, Director of Occupational Safety and Health, Ministry of Labour, highlighted SWIP’s contribution to OSH through public-private collaboration.
He added that this year’s SWIP audits covered over 200 workplaces across all six geopolitical zones, with active technical participation of the ministry’s OSH Department.
He said that transparency, capacity building, digital audit reporting, monitoring and evaluation, and structured feedback were critical to improving workplace safety and health outcomes.
He commended the audit and project planning committees for recognising best-performing organisations, fostering peer learning, competition, and continuous improvement among employers.
He said that workplace safety underpins productivity, decent work, and sustainable national development, and that SWIP supports the effective implementation of the ECA and the promotion of employee welfare. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)