General
NECA Urges Stakeholders to Strengthen Psychosocial Work Environments for Sustainable Growth
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Employers, policymakers, and other key stakeholders have been urged to intensify efforts toward developing and sustaining healthy psychosocial work environments as a critical pathway to improved productivity, employee well-being, and organisational resilience.
This call was made by the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) in commemoration of the 2026 World Day for Safety and Health at Work, themed Good Psychosocial Working Environments: A Pathway to Thriving Workers and Strong Organisations.
The Director General of NECA, Mr Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, noted that this year’s theme highlights the growing importance of mental and emotional well-being in the workplace and reinforces the need for a more holistic approach to occupational safety and health.
He further stated that while progress has been made in improving workplace practices, there is a need for sustained and collective action to further strengthen psychosocial conditions in line with evolving global standards, including guidance from the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
“Across sectors, there is increasing recognition that workplace wellbeing extends beyond physical safety. A healthy psychosocial work environment where employees feel valued, supported, and able to perform optimally is essential for organisational effectiveness and long-term sustainability,” the DG said.
He emphasised that psychosocial wellbeing is influenced by how work is structured, managed, and experienced, and encouraged stakeholders to adopt intentional strategies that promote positive work environments. These include clear job roles, manageable workloads, supportive leadership, open communication, and policies that promote work-life balance and inclusion.
“Creating healthy psychosocial work environments requires deliberate and continuous effort. Employers, in particular, play a pivotal role by embedding supportive systems and fostering workplace cultures rooted in trust, respect, and fairness,” he added.
Mr Oyerinde also underscored the importance of strengthening institutional frameworks and workplace practices that support employee well-being, including access to counselling services, employee engagement mechanisms, and transparent organisational policies.
He further referenced the NSITF–NECA Safe Workplace Intervention Project (SWIP) as a practical demonstration of NECA’s commitment to advancing workplace safety through proactive and preventive approaches. The initiative, implemented in collaboration with the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), evolved from the Employees’ Compensation Scheme.
“While the Employees’ Compensation Scheme provides support in cases of workplace incidents, NECA continues to emphasise prevention as the most effective approach to workplace safety. This includes expanding the scope of safety initiatives to address psychosocial risks alongside physical hazards,” he stated.
Through SWIP, NECA, and NSITF, the organisations have supported organisations in strengthening occupational safety and health systems, conducted risk assessments, facilitated stakeholder engagement, and recognised organisations demonstrating strong commitment to safety standards.
Looking ahead, NECA urged all stakeholders to integrate psychosocial risk management into existing workplace safety frameworks, ensuring a more comprehensive and sustainable approach to employee well-being.
As part of activities marking this year’s commemoration, NECA will host a Knowledge Sharing Session on April 30, 2026, themed: “From Compliance to Commitment: Building Sustainable Safety Cultures at Work.” The session will provide a platform for stakeholders to share insights, exchange best practices, and reinforce collective commitment to safer and healthier workplaces.
NECA therefore calls on Employers, Government Institutions, and Social Partners to continue working collaboratively to build work environments that not only drive productivity but also support the dignity, well-being, and full potential of every worker.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
President Bola Tinubu on Saturday confirmed the killing of a senior ISIS leader, Mr Abu-Bilal Al-Manuki, in an overnight operation carried out by the United States and Nigeria.
President Donald Trump had earlier announced the elimination of the notorious terrorist via a post on his Truth Social.
Later, in a statement today, Mr Tinubu praised the action, describing it as “a significant example of effective collaboration in the fight against terrorism.”
“Our determined Nigerian Armed Forces, working closely with the Armed Forces of the United States, conducted a daring joint operation that dealt a heavy blow to the ranks of the Islamic State,” he said in the statement.
According to him, early assessments confirm the elimination of the wanted IS senior leader, Abu-Bilal Al-Manuki, also known as Abu-Mainok, along with several of his lieutenants, during a strike on his compound in the Lake Chad Basin.
He commended the partnership between Nigeria and America in waging war against terrorists, thanking his US counterpart “for his leadership and unwavering support in this effort.”
“I commend the personnel involved on both sides for their professionalism and courage, and I look forward to more decisive strikes against all terrorist enclaves across the nation,” the Nigerian leader added.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria is set to strengthen its defence architecture by deploying artificial intelligence-powered surveillance systems and advanced anti-drone technology as part of efforts to modernise the country’s military capabilities, according to the Minister of Defence, Mr Christopher Musa.
He disclosed this during a high-level visit to Monaco, where he led a Nigerian delegation to conclude discussions on the multi-domain Hybrid Intelligence Shield (HIS) project.
According to Mr Musa, the initiative is designed to enhance border security, protect urban centres and improve the country’s response to emerging security threats.
The project is expected to introduce AI-driven surveillance systems capable of identifying threats rapidly through smart algorithms, while anti-drone technology will be deployed to intercept and neutralise unmanned aerial threats.
The government also plans to establish national and regional command-and-control centres to improve real-time coordination and response to security incidents across the country.
Mr Musa said the initiative would place strong emphasis on technology transfer and local capacity development through the establishment of a military Centre of Excellence in Nigeria.
He added that the federal government would leverage partnerships with international firms, including Marss UK Ltd, while simultaneously building indigenous capabilities to address insurgency, illegal mining, piracy and other security threats.
Nigeria has continued to battle multiple security challenges in recent years, including insurgency in the North-East, banditry and kidnappings in the North-West, farmer-herder clashes in the North-Central region, crude oil theft in the Niger Delta and piracy in the Gulf of Guinea.
Nigeria is stepping up its defence as the border region of Nigeria, Benin and Niger on the southern edge of the Sahel region is becoming a new stronghold for jihadists, as militants turn forests and pastoral networks in West Africa into bases for recruitment and international attacks.
Attacks in Nigeria have also risen, with data from the website of the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED), a conflict-monitoring group, affirming that the number of suicide bombings in Nigeria by March already matched the annual average over the past six years.
The Nigerian military has also been dealt a blow to its military bases and senior figures targeted. In April, Brigadier-General Oseni Omoh Braimah was killed when Islamist fighters attacked a base in Borno State.
To also meet the defence goal, Nigeria is stepping up efforts to build domestic arms-manufacturing capacity.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria and Morocco are set to sign a major intergovernmental agreement later this year to push forward the long-delayed Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline project, a multi-billion-dollar energy corridor expected to reshape gas trade across West Africa and Europe.
The agreement, expected to be signed in the fourth quarter of 2026 by President Bola Tinubu and King Mohammed VI of Morocco, follows the completion of preliminary technical studies for the ambitious project, according to officials from both countries.
The pipeline, also known as the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline, is projected to stretch about 6,900 kilometres along offshore and onshore routes across West Africa, making it one of the largest gas infrastructure projects on the continent.
With an estimated cost of $25 billion, the pipeline is designed to transport up to 30 billion cubic metres of gas annually once completed.
Discussions on the project gained fresh momentum during a telephone conversation between Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and her Moroccan counterpart, Mr Nasser Bourita.
The project would not only strengthen energy cooperation between the two countries but also improve regional economic integration and expand Africa’s access to European energy markets.
According to Morocco’s hydrocarbons and mining agency, ONHYM, part of the gas supply will support Morocco’s domestic energy demand, while large export volumes will be directed to Europe.
The project, first proposed about a decade ago, is seen as a strategic alternative gas supply route amid rising global energy security concerns and Europe’s search for more diversified energy sources.
Beyond the pipeline, Nigeria and Morocco are also exploring broader economic partnerships, particularly in fertiliser production and distribution to support food security across Africa.
Both countries also agreed on the need to revive the Nigeria-Morocco Business Council to strengthen trade and investment relations under the African Continental Free Trade Area framework.
Analysts noted that the project could significantly boost gas monetisation opportunities for Nigeria, expand regional infrastructure development, and deepen economic ties between West African nations and Europe if successfully executed.
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