The newly elected President and Chairman of the Employers’ Association for Private Employment Agencies of Nigeria (EAPEAN), Dr Nzeribe Okegbue, has committed to enhancing the enforcement of decent work standards and regulatory compliance within Nigeria’s outsourcing sector.
Speaking after his election at the association’s yearly general meeting, Okegbue said his administration would collaborate closely with the Dr Nzeribe Okegbue to ensure that employment agencies uphold the minimum wage and prioritise fair treatment of employees.
“My vision is to work hand-in-hand with our regulator, the Federal Ministry of Labour, to strengthen decent work and to make sure that our members comply with minimum wage payment and also ensure that workers are well treated,” he said.
He warned companies against engaging unlicensed outsourcing firms, describing such operations as illegal and detrimental to decent work practices.
“Without a recruiter’s licence from the Federal Ministry of Labour, we cannot operate in the outsourcing space. Any organisation handling outsourcing without one is operating illegally,” he said.
Okegbue expressed concern over firms that underpay workers and said illegal outsourcing agencies remain a major threat to decent employment practices, calling for stricter monitoring and sanctions.
The EAPEAN president emphasised that decent work begins with decent pay, criticising employers who fail to meet the national minimum wage.
“You cannot be talking about decent work when the minimum wage is N70,000 and people are being paid N20,000, N40,000, or N50,000. It is not decent work,” he said.
Okegbue also urged employers to ensure safe and humane work environments, citing reports of workers being locked in factories and exposed to hazards.
He further decried unfair competition from unlicensed outsourcing firms that undercut professional rates, charging as low as two or three per cent in management fees.
“Such practices destroy the business. If companies that patronise unlicensed firms know the consequences, they will not attempt it,” he said.
Okegbue assured that his tenure would focus on strengthening ethical practices and promoting dignity for Nigerian workers in line with global decent work standards.
Speaking on ‘Building Resilient HR System in the Gig Economy’, one of the facilitators and Head of Culture and Human Capital for Atiat Limited, Richard Obi, has urged organisations to develop systems that can effectively integrate gig workers across different sectors.
Obi said the growing gig economy has created new opportunities, but many organisations still struggle to manage freelancers efficiently.
He said companies must design systems that can measure, manage, and reward gig talents to prevent operational challenges.
On workplace conduct and compliance, Obi pointed out that regulatory bodies such as the National Pension Commission (PenCom), the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM), and the Ministry of Labour were already enforcing rules to ensure proper people management. He noted that PenCom had systems that automatically identify pension defaults, while the Ministry of Labour continues to promote fair labour practices.
He added that employees remain key assets to every organisation and urged employers to provide an environment that encourages satisfaction, reward, and retention.
“Keep it simple. Create an experience that makes people enjoy their work,” he said.
