The Managing Director of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Barr. Oluwaseun Faleye has said the Fund was developing strategies to extend workplace injury compensation and social protection coverage to platform workers and participants in the gig economy as artificial intelligence continues to transform the world of work.

Faleye disclosed this on the sidelines of the 114th Session of the International Labour Conference (ILO) currently holding in Geneva, Switzerland, while responding to the presentation made by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Muhammad Dingyadi.

The minister had called for inclusive and human-centred artificial intelligence policies that protect jobs and workers’ rights while harnessing technology to drive economic growth and decent work.

Platform workers provide paid labour services through digital applications such as ride-hailing, delivery and online freelance platforms.

Commending the minister’s intervention, Faleye said the changing nature of work required urgent policy attention.

He said: “I think it’s a very robust response, particularly as it deals with emerging issues in the place of work generally. You will recall that some of the key issues that we’ve been dealing with within the labour ecosystem have been the treatment of platform workers, the gig economy, and, of course, the impact of AI on labour and workers generally.

“It’s important that we recognise that AI is here to stay, and the more governments and institutions like ours understand the implications of AI on workers, on the role of workers and the workplace, the more it is that we’re able to, of course, engage on relevant solutions to it, and I’m glad that the Minister touched on that.

“But importantly, it’s also to look at the treatment of platform workers and the gig economy to understand how to better provide and provide support and provide what is required to assimilate them.”

According to him, traditional definitions of labour are being challenged by new work arrangements driven by technology.

“You know that traditionally, labour has been defined within the context of formal workplace economy, but recent innovations now entails people working from home, people working on platforms like Uber and Bolt, etc, and then there’s a need to now define appropriate ways to measure their role and their impact.

“For us at NSITF to begin to understand how best to situate our mandate within those new work realities, and I’m glad that the foremost ministry responsible for driving and articulating policies within our labour ecosystem is at the forefront of that.”

Faleye said the Fund was examining how workplace injury compensation could be extended to workers classified as independent contractors rather than formal employees.

“I think the core engagement is really dimensioning what is termed as a workplace within those platform workers’ ecosystem. It is also to fashion out our best to engage in terms of their contributions, and of course, to articulate our best to also provide compensation for them in place of workplace injury. You know, for us, we’re grappling with the idea of, within our system, when does injury occur, and where is the workplace for those platform workers?

“Particularly, if you understand those who are working from home, at what point can we better understand when an injury occurs and whether that injury is in relation to work or something else?

“I think sitting down with the relevant stakeholders to discuss this, which this conference provides, is the right step in the right direction, and we’re really glad to be part of that discussion.”

The NSITF boss also praised President Bola Tinubu for establishing the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, saying the move would help Nigeria keep pace with global technological changes.

“we cannot be left behind in innovations, the digital innovations that are driving business activities and are driving the workplace worldwide.

“You will see, like the Minister said, we have infused that into our Public Service recently. The Civil Service is now much more embedded with AI, using AI to really provide services going forward, and I’m sure they will get better with it,” he added