Labour leaders have stressed the importance of workers adapting to technological advancements while maintaining a focus on economic justice, job security, and human dignity.
This is even as they cautioned policymakers to ensure that the advancement of technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) serves humanity’s interests rather than being perceived as profit-driven exploitation.
Describing AI as a double-edged innovation, they maintained that, if wisely embraced, it could enhance productivity and efficiency rather than eliminate jobs.
They made the call at this year’s workshop for the Labour Writers’ Association of Nigeria (LAWAN), in Ibadan, where they spoke on ‘Future of Work in the Era of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Stakeholders’, even as they strategise for ensuring equitable and ethical integration of technology in Nigeria’s labour ecosystem.
Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Joe Ajaero, described the theme of the workshop as “a sounding of the bugle,” warning that AI, under capitalist control, poses a threat to workers’ rights and collective power.
He feared that the future of work in the era of AI was a pivotal battlefield in the ongoing struggle between workers and those who want to exploit them.
Represented by NLC Lagos Chairman, Funmi Sessi, he cautioned that AI, though presented as technological progress, could deepen inequality by enabling job casualisation, de-skilling, and digital surveillance, while eroding workers’ bargaining power.
According to Ajaero, “AI in the hands of big capital is primarily a tool for intensifying exploitation, reshaping labour relations towards greater precarity, and eroding the very foundation of workplace rights.”
Similarly, General Secretary of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), Peters Adeyemi, warned against complacency among workers, stressing that workers must remain vigilant about the quality and accuracy of AI-generated outputs.
Noting that responsibility for productivity ultimately rests with humans, not machines, he said: “AI cannot think for us, nor can it take responsibility for our work. I do not share the belief that AI has come to displace workers or destroy jobs. On the contrary, I believe AI is here to enhance productivity, save time, and empower workers who are willing to embrace it.
“The future of work is not to be feared, but to be shaped. Artificial Intelligence, if embraced wisely, can be a tool for liberation rather than oppression,” he said.
Also speaking that trade unions must embrace modernisation and global collaboration to remain relevant, National President of the Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI), Olusoji Oluwole, urged that they must urgently reinvent themselves in response to the growing influence of AI on the global workforce, warning that failure to adapt could render unions obsolete.
Speaking on a paper titled: ‘Job Security and the Future of Trade Unions in the AI Era’, Oluwole, who was among the panelists, warned that trade unions now face dwindling membership caused by automation, high employee mobility, reduced employment opportunities, and the decline of physical workplaces.
To counter the risks, the ASSBIFI president called on unions to “shift focus from merely negotiating wages and welfare to adapting technology to rebuild the workers’ movement.”
He recommended that unions review their traditional roles to accommodate the informal and gig economies, organise workers within the tech space, and collaborate with global labour bodies, as well as adopt AI-driven systems to improve organising and advocacy.
For employers, the Executive Secretary of the Chemical and Non-Metallic Products Employers Federation (CANMPEF), Femi Oke, has urged Nigerian employers to take proactive steps in preparing their workforce for the changes brought about by AI in the workplace.
Speaking on the theme: ‘Employers’ Preparation and Response to the Artificial Intelligence Revolution in the Workplace: Trends, Challenges, and Opportunities’, Oke emphasised that AI is redefining work globally and employers must respond strategically to avoid disruption.
Oke said that while AI is transforming sectors such as fintech, education, agriculture, and healthcare, Nigeria’s employers must balance enthusiasm with readiness through investment in reskilling and lifelong learning.
Highlighting ethical concerns, Oke warned against bias and misuse of AI-driven systems, urging employers to establish governance frameworks that ensure transparency and fairness.
