Observación (CEACR) - Adopción: 2025, Publicación: 114ª reunión CIT (2026)

Convenio sobre el derecho de sindicación y de negociación colectiva, 1949 (núm. 98) - Nigeria (Ratificación : 1960)

The Committee notes the observations made by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), received on 1 September 2025, the content of which is examined in its comment on the application of the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87). It also notes the general observations of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), received on 2 September, and the ITUC-Africa, received on 11 September 2025.

The Committee notes that the Government contests the previous observations made by the NLC in 2023 and 2024 that collective bargaining rights are being undermined in the country and refers to the adoption of the 2025 National Industrial Relations Policy. However, the Committee also notes that the Government does not respond to the specific allegations made by the NLC, such as the absence of adequate dispute resolution mechanisms, interference in the collective bargaining process and the failure to implement collective bargaining agreements. The Committee therefore once again requests the Government to provide its comments on the allegations made by the NLC, as well as information on the measures taken to promote free and voluntary collective bargaining. It also requests the Government to submit a copy of the 2025 National Industrial Relations Policy.

Articles 1 to 2 of the Convention. Adequate protection against acts of anti-union discrimination and interference. The Committee notes with regret that the Government has still not provided the requested information on any specific investigations carried out as regards the ITUC’s previous allegations made over a number of years concerning large-scale dismissals of workers attempting to join trade unions, as well as of union leaders and members, and incidences of anti-union discrimination and interference in the banking, education, electricity, petroleum, gas and telecommunications sectors.

The Committee notes from the information supplied by the Government to the Committee on the Application of Standards of the International Labour Conference (Conference Committee) in June 2025 that consultations with the social partners had taken place regarding massive dismissals for trying to join trade unions, and that the report on these consultations would soon be submitted. It notes from the same source that sectoral guidelines to address anti-union discrimination and interference for the banking and finance, food and beverage, and oil and gas sectors had been developed and that sectoral guidelines for the power, health, education and hospitality sectors would soon be concluded. While the Committee welcomes these measures, it also recalls that the existence of legal provisions prohibiting acts of anti-union discrimination is not enough if they are not accompanied by effective and rapid procedures to ensure their application in practice (2012 General Survey on the fundamental Conventions, para. 190). It therefore once again requests the Government to take the necessary actions to ensure that the allegations of anti-union discrimination referred to by the ITUC give rise to specific investigations and requests the Government to provide information on the results thereof. It also requests the Government to submit the report on the consultations referred to above and provide a copy of the above-mentioned sectoral guidelines.

Labour law reform. In its previous comments, the Committee noted the reform of the labour legislation undertaken in consultation with the social partners. It recalls that it requested the Government to take the necessary measures to:

• ensure the full recognition of the right to collective bargaining of all public sector workers not engaged in the administration of the State, including prison services, and the Central Bank of Nigeria; and
• amend section 19 of the Trade Disputes Act regarding the requirement to submit any collective agreements on wages for ministerial approval.

The Committee notes from the information supplied by the Government to the Conference Committee in June 2025 that all labour laws had been reviewed and were undergoing legal drafting at the Ministry of Justice. The Committee notes that the Government reiterates its previous explanations concerning the exclusion of the above-mentioned categories of public servants not engaged in the administration of the State, which the Committee had previously noted but had not considered sufficient in relation to the application of the Convention. However, the Committee welcomes the Government’s indication that the regulations in section 19 of the Trade Disputes Act will not be included in the new Collective Labour Relations Bill. The Committee requests the Government to take the necessary measures to ensure that appropriate amendments are made to the above-mentioned provisions so as to bring them into conformity with the Convention, and toprovide information on any developments in relation to the ongoing labour reform, including the adoption of the new Collective Labour Relations Act, the Labour Standards Act and any other relevant texts. In this respect, it once again reminds the Government of the possibility to avail itself of the technical assistance of the Office.

Collective bargaining in practice. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the number of collective agreements concluded and in force in the country, indicating the sectors concerned and the number of workers covered by them.