A two-day Technical Seminar of the International Social Security Association (ISSA) 2026 has begun in Abuja with a call for more responsive and stronger social protection systems amid evolving demographic and labour realities in Nigeria.
Welcoming participants on Wednesday to the 2026 ISSA West Africa Technical Seminar, the Managing Director of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Mr Oluwaseun Falaye, stressed the urgency of strengthening social security frameworks.
“Due to the expansive and growing population coupled with a dynamic labour market in Nigeria, the demand for a responsive and strong social protection system is inevitable,” Falaye emphasised.
He stated that the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, under the Employees’ Compensation Act of 2010, carries a statutory responsibility to provide protection against work-related injuries, occupational diseases, disabilities, and death.
Strong Social Protection
“This mandate is not theoretical, it is about real people, real risks, and real consequences for families and communities.
“Nigeria’s context makes these conversations particularly urgent. With a large and youthful population, a dynamic labour market, and one of the largest informal economies in Africa, the demand for responsive and strong social protection systems is undeniable,” he said.
According to the Managing Director, his organisation the NSITF, has come to recognise that delivering on this mandate in today’s environment requires deliberate transformation.
“Over the years, we have embarked on a progressive digital journey, moving away from fragmented, paper-based processes toward more integrated systems that enhance integrity, improve service delivery, and strengthen public confidence.
“We are investing in platforms that support faster claims processing, improved data management, stronger actuarial planning, and more transparent engagement with employers and beneficiaries.
“At the same time, we remain clear-eyed about the challenges. Digital transformation is not a one-off project; it is a continuous process that demands skills, governance, cybersecurity, and above all, institutional culture.
“This is why gatherings such as this Technical Session are invaluable. They allow us to learn from one another, to adapt tested solutions, and to avoid costly missteps,” he explained.
Knowledge Sharing Mechanism
ISSA he said, has long provided a vital platform for this exchange through its standards, guidelines, and knowledge-sharing mechanisms.
It has also helped social security institutions navigate complexity with confidence by expressing appreciation for the opportunity given to Nigeria to host the Seminar
“Nigeria welcomes you not merely as delegates, but as partners in a collective mission, in our diversity of language, culture, and institutional experience, we are united by a common purpose: to ensure that social security systems remain relevant, responsive, and worthy of the trust placed in them by the people we serve.
“This gathering represents an important moment of continuity within the ISSA West Africa family,” Faleye noted.
He further states that Social security systems do not earn public confidence merely by adopting technology, but by using innovation to strengthen governance, expand inclusion, and uphold human dignity.
Speaking on the theme of the Seminar, Faleye said, “Our theme speaks directly to this moment, accessibility, effectiveness, inclusiveness, and the strategic use of digitisation in social security administration.”
These are not abstracts. They are practical measures of whether our institutions can keep pace with the changing lives and livelihoods of the people we exist to protect.