International Trade Union Condemns Nigerian Government’s Move to Criminalise Right to Strike

The African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa) has issued a statement condemning the Nigerian government’s alleged attempt to criminalise the right to strike through its newly adopted National Industrial Relations Policy.

In a letter dated August 11, 2025, addressed to Nigeria’s Minister of Labour and Employment, Mr. Muhammadu Maigari Dingyandi, ITUC-Africa expressed “strong rejection” of what it described as a “sleight of hand” interpretation of the policy, warning that it undermines democracy, industrial liberties, and constitutional rights.

The right to strike is not a privilege to be granted or withdrawn at will, it is a fundamental right,” the statement reads, citing the ILO Conventions 87 and 98, to which Nigeria is a signatory, as well as Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, which enshrine this right.

The union confederation, which represents 18 million workers across Africa, expressed deep concern that the policy could be misused to silence trade unions and suppress legitimate labour actions.

This is an assault on the very foundation of Nigeria’s constitutional order, tripartism, and fledgling social dialogue culture.

The controversy stems from a July 31, 2025, statement by Nigeria’s Federal Executive Council, which, according to ITUC-Africa and its affiliate, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), signals a dangerous shift in how the government interprets the right to strike under the new policy.

Warning of possible industrial unrest, ITUC-Africa accused the government of risking Nigeria’s already precarious standing in the ITUC Global Rights Index, where it is listed among countries with worsening labour rights records.

“Workers and their trade unions will not remain idle and do nothing against plans to undermine industrial liberties and democracy,” the statement reads, further warning that any future use of the policy to restrict strikes would prompt a coordinated response from trade unions across Africa and globally.

In a pointed appeal, ITUC-Africa urged Nigerian authorities to “refrain from wishful and potentially harmful interpretations” of the policy, noting that the document, in its current form, does not criminalise strike action.

It will be recalled that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) had earlier rejected the newly adopted National Industrial Relations Policy announced by the Federal Government, describing it as an attempt to criminalise strikes and silence trade unions.

In a statement signed by NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, on August 1, 2025, the union condemned the government’s focus on stopping frequent industrial actions as “very reprehensible,” stressing that the right of workers to withdraw their services is protected by the 1999 Constitution and the Trade Unions Act.

The policy, unveiled at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on July 31, 2025, was criticised by the NLC for singling out strikes from “hundreds of workplace issues” as its primary target.

The union further noted that during the policy’s development, there were attempts to insert clauses that would criminalise strikes. Still, these proposals were rejected by trade unions, employers, and representatives of the Federal Ministry of Labour for being inconsistent with the Constitution and international labour standards.

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