The Senate is probing the National Insurance Commission, NAICOM, over allegations of unfair recruitment practices. The Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental Affairs, at a public hearing investigated the alleged recruitment irregularities at NAICOM noting that some states are underrepresented in NAICOM’s workforce, violating Nigeria’s Federal Character principle.

The chairman of the Committee, Senator Allwell Onyesoh (Rivers East) represented by Vice Chairman Senator Diket Plang, the committee raised concerns over the lopsided staffing, pointing out that states like Sokoto and Jigawa have very few employees at the commission. NAICOM’s CEO, Olusegun Ayo Omosehin, told the committee that the commission currently has 255 staff members and that the last recruitment was conducted in 2020—before he took office in 2024.

He explained that retirements and resignations have contributed to the current imbalance but insisted that previous recruitments were done with compliance certificates from the Federal Character Commission. However, the Senate committee was not satisfied. Senator Plang warned NAICOM to ensure fair representation in future recruitment exercises, stressing that the Federal Character principle must be strictly followed to promote equity and unity.