By Emmanuella Oghenentega
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Oluwaseun Faleye, has underscored the critical role of institutional trust in building public confidence and ensuring effective governance in Nigeria.
Speaking at the 2026 Law Week of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Gwagwalada Branch, in Abuja yesterday, Faleye stressed that governance outcomes hinge not only on the existence of laws but also on the ability of institutions to faithfully deliver on their mandates.
“For those entrusted with public responsibility, service must mean more than occupying office. It must mean using institutions to protect the vulnerable, uphold fairness, and leave systems better than we met them,” Faleye said.
He highlighted that the legal profession has a vital role to play, emphasizing that lawyers must defend the integrity of the law and ensure justice remains accessible and principled. Institutions such as the NSITF, he added, must treat social protection not as charity, but as an essential component of national development.
Faleye warned that sustainable national progress cannot be achieved in an environment where labour is unprotected, institutions are weak, and public trust is eroded. He identified bridging the gap between legal rights and citizens’ lived realities as one of Nigeria’s most pressing challenges.
“Our laws must work for the worker. Our institutions must work for the citizen. And our governance culture must work for the public good,” he said.
He further noted that citizens, workers, and employers all seek assurance that laws and protections will function effectively in practice. “Institutions must earn confidence through competence, consistency, and credibility,” he added.
Reflecting on the Law Week event, Faleye described it as a moment for celebration and introspection among legal practitioners and stakeholders whose work shapes the relationship between citizens and the state. He emphasized that institutional strength comes from purposeful leadership, integrity, and the trust of the people.
Faleye reiterated that the NSITF’s Employees’ Compensation Scheme ensures that no worker who suffers injury, disease, disability, or death on the job bears the burden alone. “At NSITF, we understand that trust is not demanded; it is built—claim by claim, process by process, reform by reform, and decision by decision,” he said.
He also called attention to the need to prioritize workers’ welfare in public discourse, noting that economic growth and investment must be accompanied by social protection and justice.
In his welcome address, NBA Gwagwalada Branch Chairman, Clever Owhor, stressed that the theme of the 2026 Law Week, “Rebuilding Public Trust in the Nigerian Legal System,” reflects growing concerns over declining confidence in the justice system.
“Trust cannot be demanded but must be earned through consistent, visible, and measurable actions across all sectors of the justice system,” Owhor said, urging collective action from the judiciary, Bar, institutions, civil society, media, and young lawyers.
