The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) is partnering with South African company Rand Mutual Assurance (RMA) to strengthen social protection systems across Africa.
On Tuesday, the NSITF hosted a high-level delegation from RMA South Africa, led by its Group Chief Executive Officer, Bilal Adam, at the fund’s headquarters in Abuja.
Welcoming the delegation, the Managing Director and Chief Executive of NSITF, Mr Oluwaseun Faleye, said collaboration between the two organisations would help strengthen Africa’s social protection framework.
He described the meeting as the beginning of a strategic partnership between two of Africa’s leading social insurance institutions.
“Your visit marks the beginning of what we hope will evolve into a mutually beneficial and enduring relationship between our two organisations and highlights our shared commitment to advancing workers’ compensation, occupational safety and health, and social security administration across the African continent,” he said.
Speaking on RMA’s long-standing reputation, Faleye noted:“We are particularly delighted to receive an institution of such remarkable pedigree.
“Established in 1894, Rand Mutual Assurance has built an enviable reputation over more than a century as one of Africa’s foremost workers’ compensation and social insurance institutions.
“Your evolution from a specialised compensation scheme for the mining industry into a modern, purpose-driven social insurer, with a strong emphasis on prevention, rehabilitation, care and shared value creation, is both admirable and inspiring.”
Faleye assured the visitors that the Fund recognises that the future of social protection lies in collaboration, innovation and the exchange of experiences.
According to him, the NSITF views the visit not merely as a courtesy call but as the foundation of a strategic partnership capable of transforming workers’ compensation and occupational injury insurance administration in both countries.
“Nigeria and South Africa are two of Africa’s leading economies, and I believe our institutions have a unique responsibility to provide leadership and champion best practices that will strengthen social protection systems throughout the continent,” he said.
Faleye added that the engagement provided an opportunity for both organisations to learn from one another, compare experiences, identify areas of mutual interest and explore innovative approaches to addressing emerging workplace challenges.
“I am particularly encouraged by the prospect of collaboration in areas such as digital transformation, claims administration, occupational health and safety, rehabilitation and return-to-work programmes, capacity building, research and policy development.
“As institutions with a common purpose of protecting workers and supporting employers, we must continue to innovate and build resilient systems that place the dignity and wellbeing of workers at the centre of our operations.
“It is my expectation that the discussions over the next few days will culminate in practical outcomes and provide a framework for sustainable cooperation between our organisations,” he said.
The Managing Director also reaffirmed NSITF’s commitment to strengthening the Employees’ Compensation Scheme (ECS), describing it as a critical social protection mechanism that guarantees compensation, rehabilitation and support for Nigerian workers who suffer workplace injuries, occupational diseases, disabilities or death arising from their employment.
Faleye noted that the changing nature of work and emerging occupational risks require social insurance institutions to continuously improve their systems and adopt innovative approaches that place workers’ welfare at the heart of service delivery.
According to him, the ECS remains one of Nigeria’s most important social security interventions, providing medical care, rehabilitation services, compensation benefits and support to employees and their dependants in cases of work-related injury, disability or death.
He stressed that collaboration, knowledge-sharing and the exchange of professional expertise are essential to strengthening social protection systems and ensuring that workers receive timely and adequate compensation.
Faleye expressed confidence that the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), to be drafted and presented for ratification and signing by the NSITF Management Board during the visit, would open a new chapter of cooperation and further strengthen relations between NSITF and Rand Mutual Assurance.
As part of the engagement, both organisations are expected to hold a series of sessions to share experiences and explore opportunities for deeper collaboration.
