Unpaid Salaries and NSITF Benefits in Nigeria: How to Check and Claim What You Are Owed

If you have worked a formal job in Nigeria, your employer may owe you more than you realise — an unpaid salary, a final entitlement you never collected, or a work-related benefit you did not even know you qualified for. This is not a favour or a giveaway. It is money tied to your labour, and you have every right to check for it and claim it.

1 Check My Cover on the Official NSITF Site

🔒 You’ll be redirected to the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (nsitf.gov.ng). The official service is free.

2 Know My Rights Before I Claim a Kobo

You’re staying on this site — see your full rights and the scams to dodge, all in one place.

There are two separate things to look at here: money your employer directly owes you, and benefits provided through the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF). This guide walks you through both — how to check what you are owed, how to make a claim, and how to spot the scams that hide behind promises of “free money,” so you recover what is genuinely yours without getting cheated along the way.

Two Kinds of Money You May Be Owed From Work

Before you chase anything, it helps to know which of these applies to you, because the route is different for each.

Unpaid Salaries, Allowances and Final Entitlements

This is money your employer was supposed to pay and did not — an outstanding salary, overtime, leave allowance, gratuity or a final settlement after you left the job. It is a direct debt between you and the employer, and it is recovered by dealing with the company first and, if needed, the proper labour channels.

NSITF Employees’ Compensation Benefits

This is different. The NSITF runs the Employees’ Compensation Scheme, which provides benefits when something happens to you because of your work. It is funded by employer contributions, not deducted from your salary, and many workers never claim what they are entitled to simply because they do not know the scheme exists.

What the NSITF Actually Covers

The NSITF is the government institution charged with implementing the Employees’ Compensation Act of 2010. Under this scheme, employers in the private sector are required to contribute an amount equal to 1% of their total monthly payroll, and that pool funds compensation for employees.

The scheme is built around work-related contingencies. It provides compensation in the event of injury, disease, disability or death arising out of, or in the course of, employment. In plain terms: if you were hurt at work, fell ill because of your work, became disabled, or if a breadwinner died on the job, the scheme exists to support the worker or their dependants. Because the employer carries the contribution, the benefit is meant to reach you at no cost to your own wages.

How to Check What You’re Owed, Step by Step

Step 1: Sort Out Unpaid Salary and Entitlements

Start by documenting the debt. Gather your employment letter, payslips, contract, and any records of what was promised and what was actually paid. Raise it formally with your employer or their HR in writing, stating clearly what is outstanding. If the employer refuses to pay, the matter can be escalated through the appropriate labour channels, where employment disputes are formally resolved.

Step 2: Confirm Your NSITF Coverage

Find out whether your employer registered you and remitted contributions. You can verify your coverage and raise questions directly through the NSITF’s official channels rather than relying on second-hand information.

Step 3: File a Compensation Claim (If You Qualify)

If you suffered a work-related injury, illness or disability, you or your representative can pursue a compensation claim through the NSITF, supported by the relevant evidence — medical reports, employment records and proof of the work connection. Claims are handled through the Fund’s official claims process.

Step 4: Claim as a Dependant or Next-of-Kin

Where a worker has died in connection with their employment, dependants may be entitled to benefits under the scheme. As with other claims, this runs through the NSITF with proof of relationship and the necessary supporting documents.

Watch Out for Scams

Anything involving “money you’re owed” attracts fraudsters, so keep your guard up. The NSITF itself has publicly warned the public not to fall for scams carried out in its name. It has made clear that it does not, under any circumstances, demand money or donations from members of the public, and that it runs no money-doubling scheme or “investment” that multiplies your cash. No member of the public should respond to social media posts, phone calls or messages asking for donations or promising doubled money.

Protect yourself with the same rules that apply to any genuine claim: deal only through official .gov.ng channels, never pay an upfront fee to “unlock” what you are owed, and never share sensitive details like your BVN, PIN or one-time passwords with a stranger offering to help.

What to Do With Money You Recover

When a back-payment or benefit finally comes through, decide in advance what it is for so it does not simply disappear into everyday spending. A sensible approach is to hold part of it as an emergency fund you can reach quickly, then move the rest into a high-interest savings account or a secure savings platform. If you want the money to grow over time, simple investment options can turn a one-off recovery into a real step forward for your financial future.

What to Do Next

Checking what you are owed from work costs you nothing but a little effort, and it can put real money back in your hands. For anything relating to the Employees’ Compensation Scheme, the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund is the official body to go through — using its direct channels keeps you safe from anyone posing as an agent.

Unpaid work money is just one type of unclaimed money in Nigeria. If you want the full picture — your rights across dormant bank balances, pensions and benefits, and a closer look at exactly how the common scams work — it is worth stepping back and understanding the whole system before you make any move.

3 Know My Rights Before I Claim a Kobo

You’re staying on this site — see your full rights and the scams to dodge, all in one place.