The President of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), Justice Benedict Kanyip, NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, and other key stakeholders have called for improved legal education and stronger institutional frameworks to promote labour justice in Nigeria.

This call was made on Thursday in Abuja at the 4th Public Lecture organised by the NICN in Abuja, themed “Labour Justice and Labour Law Education.”

Justice Kanyip, in his welcome address, stressed that labour justice cannot thrive where ignorance of the law prevails.

Kanyip therefore called for the popularisation of labour laws in our schools to enable more people to become acquainted with what the laws say and what roles are expected of them in matters of labour relations.

He said: “We are covering the field right to interrogate the principles of Labour justice and labour law education. Labour justice and labour law education are intertwined concepts.

“This education is crucial for promoting social justice and adherence to legal regulations like minimum wage, working conditions anti-discrimination laws and the general impact on the economy.

“Labour justice is therefore, a framework rooted in social justice , human rights and the rule of law, which aims to ensure fairness, dignified working conditions for all,” Kanyip said.

The NICN president linked the increase in workplace conflicts to a widespread lack of understanding of labour laws by both employers and workers.

He further noted that digital and legal education are crucial to ensuring fair and balanced labour relations.

In his goodwill message, NLC President Joe Ajaero warned against judicial practices that undermine the rights of workers.

He criticised the growing use of ex parte injunctions, often granted swiftly to employers and government, to suppress legitimate union actions.

Ajaero also urged the NICN to help spearhead the urgent review of outdated labour laws, describing the delay as harmful to workers’ welfare.

Speaking for the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Iyen Adegbe, who represents the president, Festus Osifo cautioned that weak labour justice systems could destabilise the country’s social stability.

He emphasized that better legal awareness among both employers and workers would help prevent frequent industrial disputes.

Adegbe also called for universities to reform their curricula to prioritise labour law education and recommended specialised training for HR professionals in labour laws.

The Keynote speaker, Professor Ademola Popoola, highlighted that Nigeria’s labour laws are still largely rooted in colonial-era statutes.

He advocated for constitutional amendments to make labour rights enforceable and also called for improvement and development of labour laws into the curriculum in LL.B programmes.

Popoola further called on the government to invest in manpower to support effective labour adjudication.

He described labour law education as essential for national development and a tool for promoting human security.

Popoola also warned that the NICN may soon be overwhelmed by disputes unless alternative grievance mechanisms like the Public Complaints Commission are strengthened and utilized by the people.

The NICN’s annual lecture, a vital platform connecting the judiciary, labour unions, and legal practitioners to advance legal practice in Nigeria.