Senate Advances Major Social Security Reform with Public Hearing on NSSTF Bill

Reported by: Ime Richard Aondofa | Edited by: Gabriel Osa

The Senate Committee on Employment, Labour, and Productivity on Monday held a major public hearing on the Nigeria Social Security Trust Fund (Establishment) Bill, 2025 (SB. 557), bringing together labour leaders, policymakers, and civil society representatives at the National Assembly in Abuja. Declaring the session open on behalf of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, the representative of the Senate leadership emphasized the legislature’s commitment to developing a “people-centered social security framework” that would improve welfare protections for workers nationwide.

In his keynote address, Senator Akpabio described the proposed legislation as a bold and transformative step toward building a more resilient and equitable safety net for citizens. He noted that the bill seeks to restructure existing social protection structures by consolidating administrative responsibilities, widening benefit coverage to include informal and vulnerable workers, and strengthening oversight to ensure transparency and accountability in fund management.

The bill’s sponsor, Senator Cyril Fasuyi (Ekiti North), explained that the legislation would unify the National Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) Act of 1993 and the Employees’ Compensation Act (ECA) of 2010. This consolidation would formally establish the Nigeria Social Security Trust Fund (NSSTF), a streamlined and more efficient institution charged with administering comprehensive social security services across the country.

Chairman of the Senate Committee on Employment, Labour, and Productivity, Senator Diket Plang, commended the level of participation at the hearing and assured contributors that their proposals and criticisms would directly inform the bill’s final draft. He expressed optimism that the refined legislation would ultimately receive favorable passage in the Senate and help “advance a more secure and equitable future for Nigerian workers.”

As deliberations continue, stakeholders across both public and private sectors are expected to remain actively engaged in shaping what could become one of Nigeria’s most significant labour and social protection reforms in decades.

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