The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has issued a stern warning to the Federal Government, demanding an immediate end to what it calls the increasing pattern of victimisation, arrests, and violent intimidation targeted at labour leaders within Nigeria and across the African continent.
The union says the trend is escalating into a full-scale assault on democratic governance and the rights of workers who provide essential public services.
NLC President, Joe Ajaero, delivered the message at the 14th Public Services International (PSI) Africa and Arab Countries Regional Conference held in Accra, Ghana.
In a strongly worded address, he accused several governments, including Nigeria’s, of weaponising state power to weaken labour movements, suppress dissent, and manipulate union structures for political advantage.
Ajaero described the growing hostility as systematic and deliberate, warning that it threatens to erode the core foundations of labour engagement in Africa.
“The increasing use of state violence as an instrument of engagement in industrial relations is class war waged from above,” he said.
“We are witnessing forceful occupation of union offices, state-backed capture of union leadership, and brazen insistence by governments to anoint who leads workers.”
His remarks referenced several incidents, including the invasion of NLC offices in Nigeria, arrests of union leaders during peaceful industrial actions, and attempts to undermine union elections.
He also cited the seizure of trade union centres in Guinea-Bissau, describing it as a warning sign of how rapidly democratic norms are being eroded.
According to Ajaero, the wave of repression is occurring at a time when African workers are facing worsening economic hardship, marked by rising inflation, stagnant wages, and widening poverty—even among those in formal employment.
He argued that neoliberal economic reforms being adopted across the continent are further weakening already vulnerable workers.
“Under the crushing weight of neoliberalism, the African worker is caught in a paradox: the harder we work, the deeper we sink into the quicksand of poverty,” he said.
“Work, which should bring dignity and emancipation, has instead become a trap that condemns many to perpetual want.”
Ajaero criticised governments that expect effective public service delivery while failing to provide fair compensation or safe working environments.
He noted that teachers, health workers, and other public servants often carry out critical duties under unsafe conditions, including in conflict-prone areas where insecurity has forced many to flee their workplaces.
He argued that no society striving for sustainable development can afford to treat its workers as “dregs and flotsam of society”.
Instead, he called for accountable governance, compliance with global labour standards, and the establishment of strong institutional frameworks that protect workers’ rights.
The NLC president also expressed gratitude to PSI affiliates for their solidarity earlier in the year when NLC officials were arrested and detained in Nigeria.
He said international pressure played a significant role in compelling authorities to withdraw what he described as oppressive actions.
Ajaero further urged trade unions across Africa and the Arab region to resist attempts by governments and corporations to weaken collective bargaining powers.
He argued for a more coordinated regional response to anti-labour policies, warning that isolated resistance would not be enough to reverse the present trend.
“This conference must be a turning point,” he declared.
“We must interrogate every framework and policy that subjugates rather than liberates the African worker. Our duty is to build a movement resilient enough to withstand the present and future onslaughts of neoliberalism.”
He encouraged unions to deepen their engagement with international bodies such as the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the African Union (AU) to ensure stakeholders are held accountable for rights violations and for undermining labour institutions.
Ajaero also reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to the global labour movement, pledging ongoing solidarity with workers across the continent. “Nigerian workers, through the NLC, extend a hand of unwavering solidarity.
Let us leave Accra with a renewed pact to fight together, win together, and build a continent where work brings dignity and public service truly serves the public.”
The PSI conference, which brought together delegates from Africa and Arab regions, focused on strengthening public service delivery, enhancing worker protection frameworks, and advancing digital systems that improve governance across member states.
Stakeholders noted that reforms such as the National Single Window—designed to streamline trade and enhance transparency—must be accompanied by strong labour protections to ensure workers are not sidelined in the process.
Labour leaders across the region echoed Ajaero’s concerns, warning that attacks on unions could escalate into broader political instability if not addressed.
They emphasised that sustainable development is impossible without empowered workers, functional democratic institutions, and respect for the rule of law.
As the summit concluded, unions committed to establishing a joint monitoring mechanism to track labour rights violations across member states and provide coordinated responses.
They also agreed to develop continentwide advocacy strategies aimed at strengthening labour institutions and resisting policies that undermine collective bargaining.
For now, the NLC says its message to the Federal Government remains clear: stop the intimidation, respect workers’ rights, and uphold democratic principles—or risk further pushing the nation’s industrial relations system into crisis.
