The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has raised alarm over the Federal Government’s newly adopted National Industrial Relations Policy, describing it as a deliberate attempt to criminalize strike actions and stifle trade unions.
In a statement issued on Saturday, NLC President Joe Ajaero condemned the policy, warning that it threatens workers’ rights and undermines the fundamental principles of industrial democracy.
“NLC considers the statement by the Federal Government that the newly adopted National Industrial Relations Policy is aimed at stopping frequent industrial actions, particularly strikes by trade unions, as very reprehensible,” Ajaero said.
He argued that the policy, which was unveiled earlier this week, risks silencing the voices of workers by imposing stringent regulations that could classify strikes as criminal acts.
The NLC’s concerns stem from the government’s stated objective to curb disruptions caused by industrial actions, which it claims hinder economic progress.
However, Ajaero countered that strikes are a legitimate tool for workers to address grievances, particularly in the face of rising inflation, wage stagnation, and poor working conditions.
“This policy is a direct attack on the constitutional rights of workers to organize and demand fair treatment,” he added.
“The statement was part of the press release by the Federal Government at the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, which took place on 31st July 2025.
“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 press statement exposes the mindset of those who were elected to protect the interests of the ordinary citizen, including workers,” he said.
Ajaero recalled earlier attempts, during the development of the National Industrial Relations Policy for Nigeria, to insert certain clauses that criminalised strike actions.
He said the trade unions, employers, and the representatives of the Federal Ministry of Labour rejected such insertions as anomalous to the 1999 Constitution and the Trade Unions Act.
He said the Constitution and Trade Union Act gives trade unions the power to withdraw their services in line with the law.
The NLC President described the fresh insertion into the National Industrial Relations Policy as inferior to the Constitution and the Trade Union Act.
“The right of a worker and trade unions to withdraw their services is fundamental and inalienable,” he said.
“The NLC and Organised Labour in Nigeria condemn and reject the new law in industrial relations in Nigeria.”
Ajaero assured Nigerian workers that the leadership of the congress and the labour movement remained watchful of their mandate of protecting the rights, interests, and hard-won industrial liberties of workers.
According to him, the rights and interests are guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution, labour laws, and fundamental international labour standards to which Nigeria is a signatory.
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