Nigeria’s labour environment remains critically challenged, as revealed by the 2025 global ranking that placed the country among the worst offenders in workers’ rights protections worldwide. The Nigeria Labour Congress, represented by Deputy President Adewale Adeyanju during the 68th NECA AGM in Lagos, made public this alarming assessment earlier this week.
President Joe Ajaero’s statement, delivered in absentia, lamented what he called “a stain on our conscience” due to continued violations, many of which occur in businesses represented at the NECA forum. He made a compelling call for the Employers’ Consultative Association to take a leadership role in reversing these trends by institutionalizing respect for labour laws and collective bargaining practices.
The NLC’s strategy emphasizes collaboration, especially in the context of rapid technological shifts impacting employment relations. Ajaero called for joint efforts to implement agreements made at the recent ILO conference focusing on the platform economy’s regulation and occupational safety. “Declarations alone are not enough,” he cautioned, advocating for translating policies into concrete protections for workers.
Praising the NECA Director-General’s openness to dialogue, Ajaero characterized industrial relations as a partnership, urging the institutionalization of a permanent committee between NLC and NECA to foster ongoing communication and conflict management. He criticized political moves by some state actors to shift labour legislative competence away from the federal government, warning of resulting instability in industrial relations.
The NLC president also highlighted the detrimental effects of political repression and shrinking civic space on the nation’s labour environment. “A vibrant civic space is not a luxury—it is the fertile ground in which both businesses and workers flourish,” he noted, underscoring the need to restore this space for the benefit of all stakeholders.
In his closing remarks, Ajaero reminded employers that workers are not just cost factors but vital contributors to the sustainability of enterprises. “Profit without people is an empty pursuit; progress without justice is a fleeting illusion,” he said, expressing hope that NECA’s AGM would lead to tangible improvements in workplace conditions.