Nigeria’s labour act insufficient for modern workforce protection – ILO 

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has raised concerns over Nigeria’s outdated labour laws, particularly the Labour Act of 1971, which it argues fails to address the evolving needs of the country’s workforce.

According to a report by NAN, the labour organization disclosed that while modest updates were made in 2004 and attempted again in 2014, the Act remains largely unchanged and inadequate for safeguarding modern labour rights.

Vanessa Phala, the Director of the ILO Country Office for Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and the ECOWAS Liaison Office, highlighted significant gaps in the current labour law, especially in its lack of coverage for the informal sector, where a large portion of Nigeria’s workforce is employed.

“For over five decades, Nigeria’s primary labour legislation, the Labour Act of 1971, has remained largely unchanged, aside from modest updates in 2004 and efforts in 2014. 

“This Act does not fully account for the contemporary realities of the Nigerian workplace, particularly overlooking the informal sector, where a significant portion of the population is employed,” she stated.

Phala emphasized that more robust laws are needed to effectively safeguard the fundamental rights of both employers and employees.

“Much more is required to adequately secure the Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work for Employers and workers,” she said

Need for the Labour Standards Bill 

Phala advocated for the immediate passage of the Labour Standards Bill by the National Assembly, stating that it  would go a long way to tackle child labour and other forms of unacceptable labour practices in Nigeria, expressing hope that this new legislation would help bridge the current gaps in the Labour Act.

The bill is expected to address the rights of workers in sectors not currently covered under the outdated 1971 Act, including those facing hazardous work conditions and child labour.

ILO Country Director Vanessa Phala recalled a recent survey by Nigeria’s National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) shows that 39.2% of Nigerian children are engaged in child labour

“In Nigeria, the recent survey by the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics (NBS) echoes this global data, revealing that 39.2 per cent of Nigerian children, aged five to 17, are in child labour, with 22.9 per cent exposed to hazardous conditions,” she noted

Olaolu Olaitan, Director of Labour Inspectorate at Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, added that a modernized labour framework is crucial for addressing issues beyond child labour, including gender discrimination and safe working conditions.

Similarly, Dr. Oluseyi Soremekun, National Information Officer at the UN Information Centre in Abuja, also backed the call for legislative updates, stating that the legislation is a means to an end; passing the Labour Standards Bill will bring Nigeria closer to achieving international labour standards.

The Lagos State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Funmi Sessi, emphasizes that the enforcement of laws against child labour is crucial in addressing the issue effectively. She stresses the importance of holding all perpetrators accountable to deter the practice.

Sessi highlighted the NLC’s continuous efforts in combating child labour through advocacy and by reporting cases to the relevant authorities and called on the Federal Government to urgently move the Labour Standards Bill to the National Assembly without further delay

Economic hardship driving child labour 

Phala attributes the rise in child labour to Nigeria’s economic challenges, which have pushed families to rely on children for income.

• She stressed that improving access to quality education and social protection benefits could help curb child labour. She noted that access to quality education and social protection benefits will reduce vulnerability to child labour.
• The ILO’s Senior Programme Officer, Mrs. Chinyere Emeka-Anuna, emphasized that decent work and social justice are crucial to eliminating child labour, adding that the passage of the Labour Standards Bill would significantly impact the nation’s labour practices.

“Decent work is a support tool for action in the areas of protection of workers, employment promotion equality between men and women, social protection, and strengthening tripartite cooperation,” she explained.