IN A DETAILED report marking a century of oversight, the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations has published its annual assessment of Member States’ compliance with international labour standards.
While the report reaffirms the universal principles governing the world of work, it also contains a strongly worded indictment of Nigeria’s record, highlighting a “steady deterioration” of trade union rights and persistent state interference.
The Committee’s report, released February 13, 2026, serves as a critical examination of how nations are implementing ratified Conventions in both law and practice.
As an independent body composed of 20 high-level legal experts, the Committee plays a central role in the ILO’s supervisory system, ensuring accountability and progress in advancing social justice and decent work globally.
However, the findings regarding Nigeria’s compliance with the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87), paint a troubling picture of recurring allegations that remain largely unaddressed by the authorities.
A Pattern of Harassment and State Interference
According to submissions received from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), and ITUC-Africa, trade union rights in Nigeria are under severe threat.
The report details allegations of the violent occupation of the NLC’s Edo State Secretariat and the forceful removal of its duly elected chairperson.
Trade unions further accuse state security forces of harassing and intimidating labour leaders, including blocking the inauguration of a caretaker committee.
These incidents echo similar complaints raised in 2023 regarding state interference in Imo State. The ITUC and its African affiliate described a broader environment of repression, citing the violent suppression of protests and strikes, alongside the intimidation, harassment, and arrest of trade union members.
The Committee expressed deep concern over a pattern of complaints dating back to 2015, which include the physical assault of an NLC president while in state custody, the excessive use of police force during peaceful demonstrations resulting in injuries and deaths, and ongoing state intervention in internal union election processes.
Unsolved Assassination and Legislative Inertia
Highlighting a particularly grievous and long-standing issue, the Committee reiterated its request for information regarding the 2010 assassination of Mr. Alhaji Saula Saka, the Lagos Zonal Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).
The Committee noted with “deep regret” that despite the arrest of eight suspects fifteen years ago, the government continues to cite “ongoing investigations,” with no judicial resolution in sight.
The report also takes aim at Nigeria’s legal framework. The Committee has long called for amendments to the Trade Unions Act, urging the government to reduce the high threshold of 50 workers required to form a union, remove restrictions on registering new unions, and limit the Minister’s broad authority to revoke union registrations.
Further concerns were raised regarding compulsory arbitration, overly broad definitions of essential services that restrict the right to strike, and obstacles preventing workers in Export Processing Zones (EPZs) from joining trade unions.
Regarding a 2016 court judgment that effectively imposed compulsory membership on certain teachers, the Committee reiterated that workers must have the freedom to form or join the unions of their choice, and that union unity imposed by law is contrary to the Convention.
Government Response and Call for Action
In its defense, the Nigerian government has stated that consultations with social partners regarding prosecutions and arrests have taken place and that a report is expected.
Regarding the invasion of NLC headquarters, authorities claimed the operation targeted a tenant suspected of activities prejudicial to state security, not the union itself.
The government also noted that provisions of the Trade Unions Act are being incorporated into a new Collective Labour Relations Bill, currently undergoing legal drafting.
The Committee, however, expressed deep regret that the government has repeatedly failed to provide concrete information regarding the serious allegations raised over many years.
It firmly urged the authorities to provide detailed comments on each specific incident and to transmit the long-awaited report on consultations with social partners.
The Committee reminded the Nigerian government of the possibility of availing itself of ILO technical assistance to bring its national legislation and practices into conformity with international labour standards.
The full report, including the observations on Nigeria and a General Survey on “Employment and Decent Work for Peace and Resilience,” will be submitted to the 114th Session of the International Labour Conference in June 2026. There, the findings will be debated by governments, employers, and workers in the Conference Committee on the Application of Standards, putting Nigeria’s record under the international spotlight.
