OPSN Rejects Senate’s Move to Amend NSITF Act, Warns Against Politicising Workers’ Social Funds

The Organised Private Sector of Nigeria (OPSN) has firmly opposed the Senate’s proposed amendment to the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) Act, describing it as a dangerous attempt to politicise and hijack the management of workers’ social protection funds.

The OPSN The Organised Private Sector of Nigeria (OPSN) rejects Senate’s proposed amendment to the NSITF Act, warning it could politicise workers’ social protection funds and undermine international labour standards.made up of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Nigeria Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), Nigeria Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME), and Nigeria Association of Small Scale Industrialists (NASSI) — warned that the amendment poses a serious threat to transparency, accountability, and the foundational governance structure of the Fund.

In a jointly signed letter addressed to the Senate President, the Directors-General of the five organisations urged the Senate to halt the ongoing legislative process, which has already scaled its second reading. They argued that the proposed amendment would erode the NSITF’s tripartite framework and violate international labour conventions.

“These amendments risk dismantling the NSITF’s governance structure, compromise transparency and accountability, and expose the Fund to political interference” the OPSN stated.

It emphasised that the NSITF was built on a tripartite structure representing Government, Employers and Labour in full alignment with International Labour Organisation (ILO) Conventions 102, 144 and 87, which guarantee social security, tripartite consultation, and freedom of association.

According to the group, the proposed changes would diminish the participation and influence of employers and workers — the main contributors and beneficiaries of the Fund — while giving the government greater control through political appointments.

“This direction contradicts the ILO conventions and undermines the principles of good governance, transparency, and accountability essential for managing social protection systems,” the OPSN added.

The organisation also referenced the ILO’s Recommendation 202 on Social Protection Floors, which stresses the importance of inclusive, transparent, and accountable governance while warning against political manipulation and exclusion of key stakeholders.

Reaffirming its stance, the OPSN said the NSITF Management Board currently acts as the trustee and moral compass of the Fund, ensuring prudent use of contributors’ resources. It cautioned that replacing the board with a politically influenced structure would erode autonomy, encourage mismanagement, and threaten the financial security of millions of Nigerian workers and their dependents.

“It is important to clarify that the NSITF is the sole statutory agency implementing the Employees’ Compensation Act (ECA). Any move to create parallel structures or alter this arrangement under the guise of reform would contravene international standards and increase the risk of confusion and mismanagement,” the group explained.

The OPSN criticised the Senate for prioritising what it described as “an unnecessary and potentially harmful amendment” instead of addressing urgent labour-related bills such as the long-delayed Nigeria Labour Law Bill.

“We are concerned that while the Senate pushes for this needless amendment to an already functional NSITF Act, the critical Labour Law Bill remains neglected. This bill is essential for modernising Nigeria’s labour framework, improving dispute resolution, workplace safety, and promoting social dialogue,” OPSN lamented.

The private sector coalition called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Senate President Godswill Akpabio to intervene and stop the Senate Committee on Labour and Employment from advancing the amendment.

“The NSITF remains a cornerstone of Nigeria’s social protection system. It must not be politicised or weakened. Its governance should remain anchored on tripartism, transparency, and accountability, as outlined by ILO conventions and global best practices,” the OPSN stressed.

Reaffirming its commitment, the group pledged to continue partnering with government and organised labour to strengthen institutions that protect Nigerian workers’ welfare, warning that the nation’s industrial peace and social protection depend on preserving the NSITF’s integrity.