The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has strongly rejected the newly adopted National Industrial Relations Policy by President Bola Tinubu’s administration, accusing it of being a veiled attempt to criminalise strike actions and silence trade unions in the country.
In a press release issued on August 1, 2025, and signed by its President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, the NLC condemned the Federal Government’s statement that the policy was designed to curb frequent industrial actions, especially strikes by trade unions.
The government’s position was disclosed after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting held on July 31, 2025.
Describing the policy direction as “very reprehensible,” the NLC said it was shocked that, out of the many workplace issues addressed in the policy, the government had chosen to single out strike actions as its primary concern.
“We are in shock that from a catalogue of hundreds of workplace issues contained in the National Industrial Relations Policy, the Federal Government singled out industrial strikes as its headache,” the statement said.
“The unfortunate press statement exposes the mindset of those who were elected to protect the interests of the ordinary citizen, including workers.”
The labour body also criticised what it described as a recurring attempt by the government to override consensus decisions made through tripartite consultations and social dialogue.
“We recall that there were attempts during the development of the National Industrial Relations Policy for Nigeria to insert certain clauses in the policy that criminalised strike actions,” it said.
“The trade unions, the employers and even the representatives of the Federal Ministry of Labour rejected such insertions as anomalous to the 1999 Constitution and the Trade Unions Act, which give trade unions the power to withdraw their services in line with the law.”
The NLC accused unnamed individuals in government of undermining democratic principles and international labour standards, noting that some officials “want to enjoy the fruits of constitutional governance and, at the same time, reject the principles of constitutionality, the rule of law, and respect for international labour standards.”
The statement said, “The right of a worker and trade unions to withdraw their services is fundamental and inalienable.
“That a government is celebrating the clandestine insertion of such a toxic clause in a National Industrial Relations Policy, which, anyway, is inferior to the Constitution and Trade Union Act, reveals the depth of mischief that some people in government can sink just to feed their fantasy on chains and whips.”
Reaffirming its position, the NLC vowed to resist any move that threatens workers’ rights and freedoms, assuring Nigerian workers that the labour movement remains vigilant.
It said, “While the Nigeria Labour Congress and Organised Labour in Nigeria condemn and reject this new law in industrial relations in Nigeria, we assure Nigerian workers that the leadership of the Congress and the Labour Movement remain watchful on our mandate of protecting the rights, interests and hard-won industrial liberties guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, our labour laws and indeed fundamental international labour standards which Nigeria is signatory to.”
