The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) has empowered 19 additional beneficiaries under the vocational rehabilitation programme of the Employees’ Compensation Scheme (ECS) at its Mainland office in Lagos.

The initiative, according to Managing Director and CEO Barr. Oluwaseun Faleye, reflects the Fund’s commitment to providing social protection for Nigerian workers. Represented at the event by the General Manager, Claims and Compensation, Mrs. Nkiru Ede-Ogunnaike, Faleye explained that the vocational rehabilitation programme, provided under the Employees’ Compensation Act 2010, comprises three key phases: reorientation, vocational training, and empowerment with start-up tools.

He described the event as “another milestone in our journey to restore dignity through work for beneficiaries in the Lagos and Ibadan zones. Guided by the Employees’ Compensation Act 2010, we are building pathways for injured workers to regain independence.”

Faleye also called the occasion a celebration of “courage, resilience, and the power of second chances,” noting that the programme would soon be expanded nationwide to reach other Nigerian workers who lost the ability to continue working due to injuries or disabilities.

Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Taiwo Kosoko, who was trained and empowered in poultry farming, expressed gratitude to the NSITF management and hoped for continued support to reshape their lives positively. Kosoko particularly commended the Fund’s MD for transforming NSITF within a short period, noting that its impact is now being felt by all major stakeholders.

Launched in July 2025, the vocational rehabilitation programme has so far benefited 57 Nigerians drawn from selected zones, offering them practical skills, training, and start-up support to regain economic independence.