THE AFRICAN Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa) has written a strongly worded letter in which it condemned and opposed the Nigerian government’s attempts to criminalise strike actions by trade unions through the newly adopted National Industrial Relations Policy.
The letter, obtained by National Record, is signed by its General Secretary, Comrade Akhator Joel Odigie, and addressed to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi, and copied key Nigerian and international stakeholders, including the Nigerian Presidency, National Assembly, judiciary, African Union, ECOWAS, and the ILO, ITUC-Africa.
ITUC-Africa described the Nigerian government’s move as a direct violation of constitutional democracy and fundamental workers’ rights; emphasising that the right to strike is not a privilege but a fundamental right protected under international labour standards, including the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Conventions No. 87 (Freedom of Association) and No. 98 (Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining), both of which Nigeria has ratified.
The organisation also cited Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution and the Trade Unions Act, which safeguard workers’ rights to withdraw labour in pursuit of fair wages, safe working conditions, and just treatment.
“Dissent, freedom of speech, and freedom of opinion are not mere ideals — they are integral to constitutional governance and democracy. Any law or policy designed to suppress these rights is an assault on the very foundation of Nigeria’s constitutional order, tripartism and fledging social dialogue culture,” the letter read in part.
The regional arm of ITUC global warned that any policy aimed at suppressing these rights undermines Nigeria’s democratic foundations and its emerging culture of social dialogue.
The letter raised alarm over what it termed a “sleight of hand interpretation” of the National Industrial Relations Policy by the Federal Executive Council in a July 31, 2025 statement. According to ITUC-Africa, such an interpretation risks provoking unnecessary industrial unrest and eroding democratic spaces for accountability.
“Democracy [thrives] when citizens and stakeholders, such as workers and their trade union organisations, have mechanisms and tools to advance accountability and safeguard rights at workplaces. We have resolved that workers and their trade unions will not remain idle and do nothing against plans to undermine industrial liberties and democracy,” the letter noted as the organisation vowed that workers and unions would not remain passive in the face of policies that threaten their liberties.
ITUC-Africa highlighted Nigeria’s deteriorating reputation on workers’ rights, as documented in the ITUC Global Rights Index, which already classifies Nigeria as a country where trade union freedoms are under threat.
“The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) Global Rights Index has, in recent years, documented a worrying decline in respect for trade union rights in Africa, with Nigeria already ranking among countries where such rights are increasingly under threat. This latest manoeuvre risks further eroding Nigeria’s standing and reputation in the global community and could push the country deeper into the category of states that systematically deny workers’ rights,” the organisation cautioned.
ITUC-Africa urged the Nigerian government at all levels to refrain from interpretations of the National Industrial Policy that could criminalise strikes, warning that such actions would be counterproductive and harm industrial harmony.
Reiterating its solidarity with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the broader labour movement in resisting the policy, it warned that should the government proceed with measures to undermine workers’ rights, ITUC-Africa threatened to mobilise continental and international mechanisms to defend them.
“ITUC-Africa wishes to caution and advise the Nigerian government against using policies and actions to stifle and erode workplace rights. Such attempts would only be counterproductive and undermine industrial harmony. ITUC-Africa stands in full solidarity with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the entire Nigerian labour movement in rejecting this perilous policy direction.
“Should we experience, in the future, the use of this policy to undermine workers and trade unions’ rights, ITUC-Africa, in concert with our affiliates across the continent and the world, will be left with no choice but to mobilise to defend these rights using all available means under continental and international mechanisms,” ITUC asserted.
The letter was copied to key Nigerian and international stakeholders, including the Presidency, National Assembly, judiciary, African Union, ECOWAS, and the ILO.
ITUC-Africa in concluding its letter, appealed for restraint, stating: “We urge the Nigerian government to avoid harmful interpretations of the policy that may destabilise industrial harmony and productivity.”
ITUC-Africa is a pan-African trade union organisation created in November 2007 following the merger of two former African trade union organisations, namely ICFTU-Afro and DOAWTU. It has 18 million membership strength in 107 affiliate trade union centres spread across 52 African countries.
