President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, has raised alarm over the growing threat to workers’ rights and civil liberties in Nigeria, warning that the country’s shrinking democratic space is endangering hard-won freedoms.
Speaking at the opening of the 2025 NLC Rain School in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, declared open by Governor Umo Eno, Ajaero described the current political climate as increasingly hostile to Labour, dissent, and the rights of ordinary Nigerians.
The five-day event, themed “Labour and Human Rights in a Shrinking Democratic Space,” brings together delegates from 54 affiliate unions, state councils, and several African countries.
Ajaero cited the recent attempt by the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) to take over the NLC National Secretariat as part of a broader campaign to silence labour.
He also criticized Governor Alex Otti over issues of prolonged worker verification and condemned Governor Monday Okpebholo for what he termed ignorance over threats to opposition figures.
“This year’s Rain School is a call to action. Nigeria ranks among the ten worst countries for workers’ rights. As the democratic space shrinks, abuses rise. Governance has been abandoned for 2027 politicking, and leaders appear more focused on power than on easing the people’s suffering,” Ajaero said.
He lamented that holding leaders accountable has become difficult due to the erosion of the rule of law and the compromise of the separation of powers. “When the legislature becomes an arm of the executive, and the judiciary echoes executive interests, democracy becomes dysfunctional,” he stated.
Ajaero warned against the criminalization of protests, especially recent actions against retired police officers, saying, “The right to dissent, a cornerstone of democracy, is being outlawed.”
He called on Labour to unite and resist authoritarian tendencies: “If we fail to act now, we risk losing freedoms generations of workers bled for. We must organize, mobilize, and build political power, not just to endorse candidates but to dictate pro-worker policies.”
On the economy, he reiterated the demand for full compliance with the National Minimum Wage Act across all sectors, including private enterprises, and condemned the unlawful conversion of 50% of workers’ NSITF contributions into government revenue.
Ajaero also stressed the need for Nigeria to align its laws with global labour standards discussed at the recent 113th International Labour Conference, particularly those protecting gig and informal workers.
He regretted Labour’s loss of control over the Labour Party and charged members to reclaim and reposition it for 2027: “It is our party. Let us give it leadership and use it to put people at the core of governance.”
Representatives from partner organisations, the ILO, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, and the Workers Solidarity Centre, commended the NLC’s consistent focus on rights advocacy.
Governor Umo Eno, represented by Head of Service Elder Effiong Essien, pledged N10 million in support and reaffirmed the state’s commitment to hosting the Rain School.
The programme continues with breakout sessions on leadership, organising, and gender to develop actionable strategies for promoting labour and human rights.
