General
Organised Private Sector Urges Senate Not to Weaken NSITF
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The senate has been urged not to make a mess of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) Act because it could expose the fund to undue political interference.
This appeal was made by the Organised Private Sector of Nigeria (OPSN) in reaction to the proposed amendment of the act by the Senate Committee on Labour and Employment, chaired by Mr Diket Plang.
In a letter to the Senate President, Mr Godswill Akpabio, and signed by the five Directors-General, the OPSN kicked against the proposed changes, which have already passed a second reading in the Senate.
“These amendments threaten to fundamentally weaken the NSITF governance structure, erode accountability and transparency, and expose the Fund to undue political interference. The NSITF was founded on a tripartite structure, representing Government, Employers, and Labour, in strict alignment with International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention 102 on Social Security (Minimum Standards), Convention 144 on Tripartite Consultation, and Convention 87 on Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise.
“These Conventions, which Nigeria has ratified, require that social security institutions be managed with the full and effective participation of social partners, ensuring that the interests of both contributors and beneficiaries are protected from political or unilateral government control,” the group, which comprises the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), the Nigeria Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), the Nigeria Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME), the Nigeria Association of Small Scale Industrialists (NASSI) and other 25 Employers Federations.
OPSN explained that the proposed amendment seeks to reduce the representation and influence of employers and workers, who are the main contributors and beneficiaries of the Fund, while increasing government control through political appointments.
“This approach is not only contrary to the spirit and letter of the ILO Conventions but also undermines the principles of good governance, transparency, and accountability that are essential for the effective management of social security funds. The ILO’s Recommendation 202 on Social Protection Floors further underscores the need for participatory, transparent, and accountable governance in social protection systems, warning against the dangers of politicisation and lack of stakeholder involvement,” it stated.
According to OPSN, the management board of the NSITF, as currently constituted, serves as the Trustee and conscience of the Fund. It provides critical checks and balances to ensure that contributors’ resources are managed prudently, transparently, and in the best interests of Nigerian workers.
Weakening or replacing this board with a politically dominated structure would erode the Fund’s autonomy, open the door to mismanagement, and ultimately jeopardise the benefits and security of millions of Nigerian workers and their families, it noted.
International experience has repeatedly shown that when social security funds are politicised or removed from the oversight of social partners, the result is often inefficiency, loss of public trust, and the erosion of social protection for workers, the association further stated.
“It is important to clarify that no two Agencies are managing the NSITF. In fact, the NSITF is the sole statutory agency responsible for implementing the Employees’ Compensation Act (ECA). Any attempt to create parallel structures or to repeal or alter this arrangement under the guise of reform would not only remove existing safeguards but also contravene international standards and expose the Fund to unnecessary risks, including the potential for confusion and mismanagement,” OPSN disclosed.
It reiterates that it will not accept any amendment that weakens the Fund’s governance framework or diminishes the participation of organised labour and employers in its management as the primary contributors to the Fund, the OPSN and its members are prepared to employ all legitimate and legal means, including recourse to international labour standards and the ILO’s supervisory mechanisms, to protect the NSITF from any actions that threaten its effectiveness, sustainability, and compliance with global best practices.
“We are deeply concerned that, while the Senate prioritises an unnecessary and potentially damaging amendment to the NSITF Act, which has no operational defects, the long-overdue Nigeria Labour Law remains stalled.
“This Bill is critical for the future of work in Nigeria. It is designed to address urgent gaps in the nation’s labour and employment laws, improve dispute resolution, enhance workplace safety, promote social dialogue, and clarify the rights and responsibilities of all parties.
“Passing the Labour Law Bill is essential for aligning Nigeria’s labour laws with international standards, promoting decent work, and supporting sustainable economic growth. Its continued delay undermines efforts to modernise the country’s industrial relations framework and protect employers and employees,” OPSN added.
It called on President Bola Tinubu and Mr Akpabio to intervene and stop the charade by the Senate Committee on Labour and Employment, while directing them to focus on completing and passing the Nigeria Labour Law, a far more pressing and productive legislative priority.
The NSITF, as a cornerstone of Nigeria’s social protection system, must not be politicised or weakened. Its governance must remain firmly rooted in tripartism, transparency, and accountability as enshrined in ILO Conventions and international best practices, it noted.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has confirmed the collapse of five transmission towers along the Ikot Abasi–Eket 132kV Double Circuit Transmission Line.
This was attributed to severe acts of vandalism, as TCN disclosed that the structure collapsed after vandals removed critical structural bracing members.
The affected towers were N9, J4, N10, N11 and N12, the organisation said in a statement on Friday.
It explained that the extensive damage was discovered during a routine joint line patrol conducted on August 9, 2026, by TCN linesmen.
Further inspection revealed that structural members from seven additional towers along the same transmission corridor had also been removed and stolen. The towers, J3, N8, N13, N14, N15, N18 and N19, are now structurally compromised and pose a risk of further collapse.
TCN condemned this act of sabotage and reiterated its commitment to working hard to maintain a robust and reliable national grid.
The statement said that to mitigate the impact on electricity supply, the network has been reconfigured to prioritise supply to Ekim transmission station, leaving Ibom Power as the only station without supply.
TCN said it is mobilising an urgent intervention to complete the reconstruction of the affected sections of the line, with security agencies also notified to aid investigations and prevent further acts of vandalism along the line route.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Tajudeen Abbas, has urged all relevant government agencies to promptly initiate actions for the full implementation of the Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency Act, 2026, following its signing into law by President Bola Tinubu.
The bill, sponsored by Speaker Abbas, was aimed at repealing the Nigerian Shippers’ Council Act, Cap. N133, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and establish the Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency to ensure effective economic regulation of Nigerian ports while safeguarding the interests of shippers, service providers, and users of regulated port services. With the President’s assent, it has now been enacted as an Act of Parliament.
The legislation represents one of the landmark achievements of the 10th National Assembly. It reflects the Speaker’s commitment to legislative excellence, institutional reform, and sustainable economic growth, according to a press statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Speaker, Mr Musa Krishi.
The bill underwent a rigorous and inclusive legislative process, including extensive stakeholder consultations and a public hearing. It was passed by both Chambers of the National Assembly and subsequently assented to by the President.
The Act provides a robust legal and institutional framework to ensure effective economic regulation of Nigerian ports by fostering transparency, competitiveness, and efficiency in port operations; protecting the rights and interests of shippers, service providers, and other port users; and aligning Nigeria’s port regulatory system with global best practices, thereby enhancing the ease and cost-effectiveness of doing business.
Despite receiving presidential assent, the Act has yet to be fully operationalised.
He warned that any further delay would undermine the legislative intent of the reform, prolong the exposure of port users to arbitrary charges and operational inefficiencies, and deny the nation the anticipated benefits of increased revenue, improved trade facilitation, and stronger investor confidence in the marine and blue economy sector.
The Speaker urged the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, in collaboration with all relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the federal government, to take the necessary administrative, institutional, and financial measures for the prompt implementation of the Act.
He said this should include the formal transition to, as well as operational empowerment of, the Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency to discharge its statutory mandate effectively.
The full implementation of the Act is critical to unlocking the economic potential of Nigeria’s ports, reducing the cost of doing business, strengthening trade competitiveness, and positioning Nigeria as the leading maritime and logistics hub in West and Central Africa.
The statement noted that the Speaker reaffirmed the 10th House’s commitment to exercising the necessary legislative oversight to ensure this landmark legislation, along with others assented to by the President, is fully implemented and achieves its intended goals for the benefit of the Nigerian people.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Federal Ministry of Youth Development (FMYD), through the Nigerian Youth Academy (NiYA), has partnered with Cascador, a Nigeria-focused platform for growth-stage founders, to provide funding and support for the next generation of Nigerian youth entrepreneurs.
The announcement coincides with International Youth Day 2026, whose global theme this year — Different Contexts, Common Aspirations — calls on institutions to close the gap between young people’s circumstances and their opportunities. The pilot is an early step toward NiYA’s broader ambition to train and empower 7 million Nigerian youth within two years.
The NiYA and Cascador Founders Programme will begin with a pilot cohort of 20 early-stage Nigerian youth founders, including entrepreneurs without formal business registration or established financial records.
Over four weeks, participants will undergo intensive training focused on business fundamentals, investment readiness and pitch preparation. At the end of the programme, the eight top-performing founders will receive non-dilutive funding of up to N5 million each from Cascador, alongside an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution to help them structure, manage and scale their businesses.
The funding and support will be presented at a Pitch Day organised by NiYA and the Federal Ministry of Youth Development.
The Minister for Youth Development, Mr s Ayodele Olawande, said the partnership would enable NiYA to move beyond training by helping young people transform ideas into investable businesses and achieve sustainable economic participation through business preparation and access to capital.
“The pilot is deliberately designed to test a model that can go beyond one cohort. If young founders can be identified early, prepared properly, connected to credible capital and supported to build stronger business systems, then access to opportunity becomes less dependent on background or existing networks. That is the larger objective: to build a youth entrepreneurship ecosystem in which readiness, ideas and execution can increasingly determine who gets the opportunity to grow.”
The pilot will run in-person in Abuja with virtual touchpoints and 1:1 mentorship. All 20 graduates retain NiYA alumni status, with priority consideration for future opportunities.
NiYA and FMYD have already shown what real commitment to Nigeria’s youth looks like — the platforms, the reach, the ambition to train millions. What we’re building together now is the missing piece, a practical bridge from the ideation stage to real capital-readiness. When a Ministry so dedicated to its young people asked Cascador to help build that bridge, it was an easy decision,” said Trish Thomas, CEO of Cascador.
Ms Oyin Solebo, COO of Cascador and former Managing Director of the ARM Labs Lagos Techstars Accelerator, highlighted the partnership’s impact, saying, “This is what innovative capital deployment looks like: a government building real investment readiness at scale, and a partner meeting that foundational work with non-dilutive funding at exactly the moment it’s needed. Partnerships like this open doors that neither of us could open alone.”
