By Joan Nwagwu
The Federal Government has warned employers against unsafe workplaces, pledging to prosecute negligence that endangers workers’ lives.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Alhaji Muhammad Dingyadi, gave the warning at the 2025 Safe Workplace Intervention Project (SWIP) Awards on Tuesday in Abuja.
The event was organised by the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) in collaboration with the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association.
It has the theme:“Together We Can Create a Safe Workplace.”
Dingyadi, represented by the Minister of State for Labour, Mrs Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, described the initiative as timely and critical to workplace safety.
He said workplace safety was both a legal and moral obligation of every employer in Nigeria.
“Every employer has a duty to protect the lives of their workers at all times. Compensation is important, but it should not replace preventive action.
“Our focus must be on ensuring that accidents do not occur. The government will no longer tolerate negligence.
“Employers who endanger lives will face sanctions, and cases leading to fatalities will be prosecuted under the law,” he said.
He cited the Employees’ Compensation Act, 2010, as a framework for protecting workers injured at work.
The minister said prevention remained the priority, urging employers to ensure safer work environments.
He said the SWIP initiative helps employers and workers identify risks and strengthen safety practices.
Dingyadi urged NECA and the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) to promote compliance with safety standards, noting that job creation must not come at the expense of workers’ lives.
The minister commended organisations recognised for maintaining high safety standards while remaining profitable, urging others to follow suit.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening occupational safety enforcement and deepening compliance with the Employee’s Compensation Act nationwide.
Dingyadi described safe work as a right and an investment in national development.