The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) has announced a partnership with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to integrate enrollees’ data registered under the Employees’ Compensation Scheme (ECS) into the national identity database.
This initiative aims to enhance efficiency, security, and transparency in processing employee claims under the scheme.
Managing Director of NSITF, Mr. Oluwaseun Faleye, made this announcement on Wednesday during a courtesy visit to NIMC Director-General, Mrs. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, in Abuja.
He emphasized the importance of data integration, particularly in linking employees’ bio-data with their National Identity Numbers (NIN) to facilitate easy validation and verification of registered workers.
Strengthening NSITF’s Efficiency and Broadening Social Security
Faleye explained that the partnership would significantly enhance NSITF’s operations, improving the database system and strengthening the social security framework in Nigeria.
He noted that the collaboration would boost NSITF’s efficiency, ensuring that accurate employee data is readily available for verification.
“The partnership will help improve NSITF’s efficiency and enhance its processes as regards database management, thereby broadening social security,” he said. He further highlighted that NIMC’s extensive research and data collection across the country would provide valuable demographic insights, helping NSITF to optimize its Employees’ Compensation Scheme.
Aligning Identity Validation with National Policy
Faleye stressed the necessity of integrating employee records with the NIN system, drawing parallels to other essential identification measures.
He pointed out that obtaining a Nigerian passport now requires NIN validation, suggesting that a similar approach should be adopted for seamless and accurate employee record management.
“Today in Nigeria, to get a passport, your NIN must be verified. So we must adopt the same measure to seamlessly get adequate and accurate data of all employees under the scheme,” he noted.
He reiterated that the ECS serves as a safety net for Nigerian workers, providing compensation for employees who suffer workplace-related injuries, disabilities, or death. By integrating NIN validation into NSITF’s system, the Fund aims to streamline the identification process, ensuring that eligible workers receive timely benefits.
Expanding Social Security Initiatives
Faleye emphasized the broader implications of the partnership, stating that it would enable NSITF to identify eligible individuals for not only ECS benefits but also future social security initiatives.
“We feel that a partnership with your organization will further enhance our ability to provide that service much more efficiently, particularly in the areas of access to the national database,” he said.
He further described the partnership as a critical step toward improving service delivery, ensuring that NSITF can validate claims effectively and reduce fraudulent activities associated with misidentification.
Commitment from NIMC to Accelerate Integration
In response, NIMC Director-General, Mrs. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, assured NSITF of her agency’s full support in realizing the collaboration. She acknowledged the critical nature of the initiative, pledging to provide the necessary technical backing to facilitate smooth integration.
“We will definitely hand your IT team over to our own IT group so that they can collaborate and immediately form a working group together. We can work out the framework around this integration,” she said.
Odusote further committed to setting a strict timeline, ensuring that full integration is completed within a week. She expressed confidence that the partnership would become a milestone achievement for both organizations.
With this strategic collaboration, NSITF and NIMC aim to modernize Nigeria’s employee compensation system, improving data management, verification processes, and financial security for workers nationwide.
What you should know
- Earlier in May, Mrs. Abisoye Coker-Odusote said that the Commission has been able to reduce extortion and corruption in the process of enrolling for the National Identification Number (NIN) by at least 40%.
- During a media briefing in Abuja, she announced that the Commission has successfully enrolled 120 million Nigerians into the NIN database since the inception of the project.
- According to the DG, NIMC’s partnership with the World Bank under the Nigeria Identification for Development (ID4D) project has played a crucial role in boosting enrollment numbers.
