Nigerian Government investigated for anti-union interference

Every year, the TUC participates in the conference of the UN’s labour rights watchdog the International Labour Organisation (ILO).   

The ILO is the only part of the UN system run not only by governments, but also employers’ and workers’ organisations 

Every year the ILO conference investigates claims of workers’ rights abuses in certain countries in its Committee on the Application of Standards (CAS).  

The TUC has a seat on the CAS, and can put evidence directly to the Committee, usually in the presence of the government in question. Sometimes, that gives us a chance to set the record straight.  
 
In 2024, the TUC invited the President of the Nigerian Labour Congress to attend our own Congress in Brighton. He never made it. That year’s TUC President, Matt Wrack, made the following statement from the Congress platform:   

‘Congress, yesterday morning, the President of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Mr Joe Ajaero, was detained at Abuja Airport without a charge or warrant by the Nigerian security services.  He was just about to board a flight to come here to Congress to join our international delegation.   

Joe had been intending to talk to us about the persistent harassment and intimidation of both him and his NLC colleagues by the Nigerian Government.  Joe was released last night, but it is clear that his ordeal is not yet over.   

His unlawful arrest is a gross violation of fundamental trade union freedoms, and - in arresting him on his way to speak to us - of the essential trade union right to seek solidarity.   

Nigeria’s trade unions still have our solidarity.  We condemn the actions of the Nigerian Government and demand that they end their persecution of Joe Ajaero.’   

In response, the Nigerian government issued a statement via the Nigerian press, mistakenly attributing the condemnation to Paul Nowak rather than the President, arguing that Joe Ajaero's detention was a lawful consequence of his failure to comply with security agency summonses, not a violation of trade union rights, and that "no one is above the law in Nigeria," accusing us of making “false claims” and making unfounded statements.  

This year, Nigeria was discussed by the CAS for suspected breaches of ILO Convention 98 on Collective Bargaining, including government interference in union affairs, use of the security forces again unions, physical violence and intimidation, and – of course – the arrest and detention of Joe Ajaero.  
 
In amongst the contributions from workers from Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eswatini, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, and Zimbabwe, the TUC was able respond to the Nigerian government and directly call it out for its behaviour.  

The TUC said: 
 
‘… it is concerning to report gross systematic interference in the independence of unions by the Government of Nigeria itself.

In 2024, just as he was at the Abuja Airport to fly to the United Kingdom to take part in the British TUC’s annual congress in Brighton, NLC president Joe Ajaero was arrested.  

For several hours no one knew what had become of him. Eventually released, it seemed that Mr Ajaero had been arrested without a warrant and held long enough to make his visit to the TUC impossible.  

The TUC President issued a strong statement of condemnation from the platform of the Congress saying Mr Ajaero’s unlawful arrest is a gross violation of fundamental trade union freedoms, especially as he was on his way to speak to us about the vital right of trade unions to seek solidarity.  

Replying via national media, the Government of Nigeria attacked the TUC statement, calling it a false claim and saying that with regards to Mr Ajaero, ‘no one is above the law’, even though no charges were ever brought against Joe on the multiple offenses alleged by the Government.  

If they wished to prevent him from sharing examples of Government interference with a wider audience, then as we discussed these matters here today, it could be said to have backfired… 

... It was ironic that the Government of Nigeria chose to say that no one is above the law because the State itself is operating in breach of its own national laws and in defiance of international law by failing to comply with the Convention.’ 

The CAS finally concluded that the government needed to take urgent steps to end anti-union practices and protect workers, in short making it clear that the TUC’s criticisms had been both true and well founded.   

So far, the Nigerian government has refrained from speaking to the media in response.  

In happy news, shortly before the CAS, Joe Ajaero was awarded the 2026 Arthur Svensson International Prize for Trade Union Rights, one of the most prestigious international trade union awards.  

The ILO supervisory system, of which the CAS is a major part, is fundamental to workers’ and unions’ ability to fight back against persecution and to hold their governments accountable for international commitments to respect trade union freedoms.  

The Nigerian government will now face additional scrutiny by the ILO until the main issues are resolved. The TUC will work with the ILO, and with ITUC Africa and its affiliates to ensure that Nigeria respects the CAS conclusions and ends its interference with trade unions.