The Nigeria Labour Congress has raised concerns over the country’s poor global standing on workers’ rights, revealing that Nigeria has once again been ranked among the 10 worst nations in the world for labour rights violations.

The NLC described the ranking as a national embarrassment and called on employers to lead the charge in reversing the trend.

The President of the NLC, Joe Ajaero, made this known during the 68th Annual General Meeting of the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association, held in Lagos on Wednesday.

Represented by the Deputy President of the NLC and immediate past President-General of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, Adewale Adeyanju, Ajaero said the latest 2025 ITUC Global Rights Index placed Nigeria among the worst violators of workers’ rights globally.

“This is a stain on our conscience and a legacy none of us should accept. Many of these violations occur within enterprises represented here,” he said.

Ajaero urged NECA to lead by example in promoting respect for labour laws and upholding the principles of collective bargaining.

“I urge NECA to lead by example: uphold collective bargaining, respect labour laws, and reaffirm the dignity of the workforce,” he said.

He further called for deeper collaboration between employers and organised labour in implementing resolutions reached at the recent 113th International Labour Conference in Geneva. According to him, such collaboration is essential in regulating the fast-growing platform economy and improving workplace safety.

“Declarations alone are not enough. We must work side by side to translate these commitments into living realities that protect workers from the excesses of unregulated technology while capturing its benefits,” Ajaero stated.

The labour leader commended NECA’s Director-General, Mr. Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, for his openness to dialogue, noting that cooperation between both sides remains crucial to achieving industrial peace.

“His openness to genuine engagement has reaffirmed the truth that we are not adversaries, but partners bound by common purpose,” Ajaero said.

He called on NECA to join the NLC in domesticating new International Labour Organisation conventions, including the Convention and Recommendation on Decent Work in the Platform Economy, as well as the Biohazards Convention, which enhances workplace safety and health protections.

“Let us seize this moment to fortify occupational safety and health governance in our country,” he urged.

Ajaero also reiterated the NLC’s demand for the establishment of a Standing Committee between the NLC and NECA, stressing that such a mechanism was necessary for continuous dialogue, dispute prevention, and conflict resolution.

“This mechanism is no longer optional; it is the surest path to enduring industrial peace,” he said.

The NLC president condemned ongoing efforts by some state governors and lawmakers to remove labour matters from the Exclusive Legislative List, warning that such moves could destabilise industrial relations across the country.

“These misguided attempts reveal a dangerous ignorance of the chaos this would unleash. In moments like this, our unity is our shield,” he cautioned.

Ajaero further expressed concern over the broader societal issues affecting the labour environment, including repression, shrinking civic space, and economic exclusion.

“A vibrant civic space is not a luxury—it is the fertile ground in which both businesses and workers flourish,” he said. “We must act to reclaim Nigeria’s civic space, which is shrinking under the weight of insecurity, repression, and economic exclusion.”

He concluded by reminding employers of the integral role workers play in sustaining businesses, stressing the importance of fairness and justice in workplace relations.

“Profit without people is an empty pursuit; progress without justice is a fleeting illusion,” Ajaero said. “That worker you consider redundant is also the consumer who keeps your enterprise alive.”

Ajaero congratulated NECA on its 68th AGM and expressed hope that the discussions would lead to more productive, fair, and decent workplaces in Nigeria. (The PUNCH)