In a bold declaration to mark the 2025 World Day for Safety and Health at Work, the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) has pledged to embrace artificial intelligence (AI) and accelerate its digitization process to revolutionize health and safety standards across Nigerian workplaces.
Speaking at the commemoration event in Abuja on Monday, the Managing Director of NSITF, Barrister Falaye Oluwaseun, who was represented by the Executive Director of Finance and Investment, Mr. Adedeji Adegoke, emphasised that “safety is not negotiable,” underscoring the Fund’s unwavering commitment to protecting the Nigerian workforce.
“This year’s theme, ‘Revolutionising Health and Safety: The Role of AI and Digitalisation at Work,’ speaks directly to the heart of what we must collectively do to build safer, smarter, and more resilient workplaces in Nigeria.”
Barrister Oluwaseun highlighted the transformative power of digital tools like AI, machine learning, digital sensors, and big data analytics in reshaping modern occupational health and safety frameworks. “This revolution is saving lives. It is minimizing injuries. It is restoring dignity to work,” he stated, adding that these technological innovations align seamlessly with NSITF’s strategic focus on prevention, protection, and productivity.
However, while championing AI, the NSITF Managing Director acknowledged that Nigeria’s digitization journey in workplace safety is ongoing. “For AI, we are not yet there. The fact is that our digitization process is ongoing,” he clarified. “We are doing our best to digitize our operations to ensure that health, safety, and compensations are all-encompassing. Within the next months, our digitization process will likely come to fruition.”
He stressed that while technology provides powerful tools, human vigilance remains irreplaceable. “It is people empowered, informed, and equipped who make the difference,” Oluwaseun said, praising Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) officers as “the quiet heroes behind the safe operations of factories, construction sites, offices, hospitals, and all workplaces.”
The event also served as a clarion call to stakeholders across the ecosystem. Employers were urged to “embrace digital health and safety technologies” and move beyond mere compliance towards building a pervasive safety culture. Employees were encouraged to actively participate in training and leverage technology to protect themselves and others. Labour unions were called upon to continue advocating for smarter, tech-enabled workplaces, while policymakers were asked to strengthen collaborations and enhance resource allocation.
“The revolution is digital. The revolution is intelligent. The revolution is now,” Oluwaseun declared, rallying all sectors to join in building a future where a healthy workplace is the norm, and worker safety is enshrined through the intelligent use of technology.
He also reiterated NSITF’s commitment signals a significant shift in prioritizing both innovation and humanity at the core of occupational health and safety practices.
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