When a workday changes everything, you don't stand alone.
Compensation under the Employees' Compensation Act 2010 is a statutory entitlement, not an act of charity. If a registered employer's worker suffers a work-related injury, disability, occupational disease, or death, the Employees' Compensation Scheme (ECS) covers medical treatment, income replacement, and support for dependants — regardless of who was at fault.
Five kinds of support, one statutory scheme.
Medical and surgical treatment
Full coverage of medical, surgical, hospital, and nursing care related to the injury — including transport, medicines, and equipment like crutches or artificial limbs, for as long as reasonably necessary.
Permanent disability
Where an injury results in permanent total disability, NSITF pays a periodic payment equal to 90% of the employee's monthly remuneration. Partial permanent disability is compensated as a lump-sum gratuity, based on the percentage of incapacity assessed.
Temporary disability
Income support during a period of temporary incapacity while the employee recovers.
Death benefits
A funeral grant plus an ongoing pension for surviving spouses and children of a worker who dies as a result of a workplace injury or occupational disease.
Rehabilitation and vocational retraining
Where an injury causes permanent incapacity, the scheme also covers rehabilitation and retraining — this connects directly to NSITF's separate Rehabilitation programme.
No-fault, by design
The ECS replaced the old Workmen's Compensation Act, which required an injured worker to prove employer negligence before receiving anything. The current system is no-fault: a worker injured in the course of employment is compensated regardless of whether the employer was negligent. In exchange, a registered, contributing employer is protected from civil suits over workplace injuries covered by the scheme. It's a trade that benefits both sides — workers get certainty, employers get protection from open-ended litigation.
Four steps, start to disbursement.
The employer submits a Notification of Accident form (ECS CCF01).
Medical reports, and police reports where applicable, are submitted alongside the form.
NSITF's Claims and Compensation department reviews the submission.
Once evaluated and approved, the appropriate benefit — medical cost coverage, disability payment, or death benefit — is disbursed.
Who's covered
All workers in both the public and private sectors, including contract workers, casual and out-sourced staff, and apprentices — from the first day of employment.
Ready to file a claim?
Claims are handled through NSITF's Employees Compensation Scheme service — start there to file a new claim or track one already in progress.
claims@nsitf.gov.ng