A new book by Dr Emmanuel Ulayi has called for a fundamental shift in Nigeria’s approach to social security, arguing that effective protection for workers is essential to national development, economic stability and inclusive growth.

The book, Rethinking Social Security in Nigeria: Role of the NSITF, published in 2026, examines the role of social protection in building a resilient economy, safeguarding human capital and promoting decent work, with particular emphasis on the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) and its administration of the Employees’ Compensation Scheme (ECS).

At the heart of the treatise is the argument that social security should no longer be treated as a welfare intervention or an additional financial burden on government and employers, but as a strategic investment in the nation’s productive capacity.

Ulayi maintains that protecting workers against occupational injuries, disabilities and other employment-related risks has far-reaching implications for productivity, industrial harmony, poverty reduction and sustainable economic growth.

The book comes against the backdrop of Nigeria’s continuing efforts to expand social protection, strengthen labour institutions and improve the welfare of workers across formal and informal sectors of the economy.

Organised into 16 chapters, the publication explores the historical evolution of social security, its legal and policy foundations in Nigeria, contemporary developments in social protection and the institutional framework underpinning the country’s social insurance system.

Other areas examined include the relationship between social security and national development, the implications of the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda for social protection, leadership and institutional transformation at the NSITF, challenges confronting the system and prospects for its future.

However, Chapter 11, titled Social Security as a Driver of National Development, provides the central argument of the book, offering a detailed examination of how social insurance can contribute to economic progress and social stability.

In the chapter, Ulayi presents national development as a multidimensional process encompassing economic growth, social advancement, political stability, human capital development and environmental sustainability.

He argues that social security, particularly through the Employees’ Compensation Scheme administered by the NSITF, should be recognised as a productive investment capable of delivering benefits beyond the immediate payment of compensation to workers who suffer occupational injuries or disabilities.

Drawing on international social protection principles, including International Labour Organisation standards and the Sustainable Development Goals, the author establishes a connection between effective social security systems, labour market efficiency, economic resilience and the protection of vulnerable populations.

He also examines the relevance of Nigeria’s Employees’ Compensation Act, 2010, as the legal foundation for protecting employees against employment-related injuries and other qualifying workplace risks.

According to the book, a properly implemented social security system can contribute to national development through nine principal channels.

These include poverty reduction and income security, the promotion of decent work, improved labour productivity, stronger occupational safety and health standards, human capital development, industrial harmony, the formalisation of employment, enterprise sustainability and social inclusion.

On poverty reduction, Ulayi argues that social protection can prevent households from slipping into deprivation when workers experience income disruptions arising from occupational injuries, disabilities or death.

Compensation and related support can help affected workers and their dependants meet essential needs, reducing the risk of prolonged financial hardship.

The author also links social security to the promotion of decent work, maintaining that workers are more likely to participate confidently in the formal economy when effective mechanisms exist to protect them against employment-related risks.

Such protection, he argues, reinforces the principles of decent employment and productive economic participation captured under Sustainable Development Goal 8.

On productivity, the book highlights the importance of timely medical attention, rehabilitation and income support in helping injured workers recover and return to productive employment where possible.

By reducing the long-term consequences of workplace injuries, social insurance can preserve valuable skills, limit avoidable dependency and minimise losses to businesses and the wider economy.

The author equally identifies occupational safety and health as an important component of social security administration.

He points to the preventive role of institutions such as the NSITF through workplace inspections, employer education and safety advocacy, arguing that preventing accidents is as important as compensating victims after incidents occur.

According to the book, stronger workplace safety practices can reduce human suffering, limit production disruptions and improve the overall efficiency of the labour force.

Ulayi further argues that social protection contributes to human capital development by helping workers and their families withstand the financial consequences of workplace accidents and disabilities.

For dependants of deceased or incapacitated workers, appropriate benefits can help preserve access to education, healthcare and other essential services, reducing the possibility that a single workplace tragedy will trigger intergenerational poverty.

The book also identifies industrial harmony as a significant benefit of an effective compensation system.

By establishing clear procedures for addressing employment-related injuries and compensation claims, the ECS can help reduce disputes between employers and employees, strengthen workplace trust and provide a structured alternative to prolonged conflicts.

Another important argument concerns the formalisation of employment.

Ulayi contends that stronger compliance with social insurance obligations can encourage better record-keeping, improve labour administration and support more effective tax and economic planning.

For businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, the pooling of employment-related risks through a statutory compensation scheme can also reduce exposure to unpredictable compensation liabilities, allowing employers to plan investments and manage operations more effectively.

The author adds that fair and non-discriminatory access to social protection promotes dignity, social inclusion and responsible corporate governance.

These arguments place the NSITF at the intersection of labour welfare, economic management and national development, rather than limiting its role to the administration of compensation claims.

The book also draws attention to developments within the Fund, including reported coverage of more than 7.8 million workers and efforts to reduce claims processing time to about 10 days.

It further highlights initiatives to extend social insurance protection to workers in the informal economy, including artisans, traders and gig economy participants who often operate outside conventional employment arrangements.

Expanding coverage to these groups, the author suggests, is essential to building a more inclusive social protection system in a country where informal economic activity accounts for a substantial share of employment.

Ulayi links the role of the NSITF to Nigeria’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those relating to poverty eradication, good health and well-being, decent work, reduced inequalities, and peace, justice and strong institutions.

The book nevertheless acknowledges that significant obstacles continue to limit the effectiveness of Nigeria’s social security system.

Among the challenges identified are low employer compliance, inadequate public awareness, limited coverage of informal-sector workers, delays in reporting workplace accidents, weak occupational safety practices, technological constraints and fragmentation among social protection institutions.

Ulayi argues that addressing these problems requires a coordinated reform strategy that combines stronger enforcement with public education, institutional collaboration and technological innovation.

His recommendations include digital monitoring systems to improve employer compliance, expanded awareness campaigns, wider coverage for informal workers and closer collaboration among relevant institutions.

He also advocates stronger partnerships between the NSITF, the National Health Insurance Authority, the National Pension Commission and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment to reduce fragmentation and improve the delivery of social protection services.

Investment in data analytics and integrated information systems, alongside periodic actuarial reviews to safeguard the financial sustainability of the compensation scheme, also features among the proposed reforms.

The author further stresses the importance of partnerships with organised labour, employers, universities and development partners in strengthening public understanding, improving policy implementation and expanding access to social insurance.

These recommendations align with priorities associated with the NSITF under its Managing Director, Oluwaseun Faleye, particularly the drive towards digital transformation, wider institutional reach and the extension of protection to underserved categories of workers.

Beyond its examination of the NSITF, the book offers a broader contribution to debates about the relationship between workers’ welfare and national economic performance.

Its central proposition is that social security should be assessed not merely by the amount of compensation paid or the number of claims processed, but also by its capacity to preserve livelihoods, prevent poverty, improve workplace safety and sustain productive economic activity.

The publication, however, leaves room for further empirical investigation into the wider economic effects of social insurance.

Such research could examine the measurable contribution of compensation schemes to poverty reduction and productivity, compare Nigeria’s experience with those of other African countries, assess financing arrangements under expanding coverage and investigate gender-specific patterns in workplace risks and social protection benefits.

Nevertheless, the book provides policymakers, labour administrators, employers, researchers and development practitioners with a framework for understanding social security as an instrument of economic and social transformation.

For Nigeria, where millions of workers remain vulnerable to workplace risks and many operate outside formal employment structures, the argument carries significant policy implications.

Ultimately, Rethinking Social Security in Nigeria: Role of the NSITF makes the case that sustainable national development requires more than investment in infrastructure and economic reforms. It also demands institutions capable of protecting the people whose labour sustains production, supports businesses and drives economic growth.

Ulayi’s central message is that a social security system that protects workers, supports their families and encourages responsible employment practices is not simply a safety net for those in distress. Properly designed and effectively administered, it can become an important foundation for a more productive, inclusive and resilient Nigerian economy.