The Federal Government’s recently enacted National Industrial Relations Policy has drawn criticism from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
The NLC President, Mr. Joe Ajaero, told reporters in an Abuja statement on Saturday that the new policy will silence trade unions and make going on strike a criminal offence.
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“NLC considers the statement by the Federal Government that the newly adopted National Industrial Relations Policy is aimed at stopping frequent industrial actions, particularly strikes by trade unions, as very reprehensible.
“The statement was part of the press release by the Federal Government at the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, which took place on 31st July 2025.
“We are in shock that from a catalogue of hundreds of workplace issues contained in the National Industrial Relations Policy, the Federal Government singled out industrial strikes as its headache.
“The press statement exposes the mindset of those who were elected to protect the interests of the ordinary citizen, including workers,” he said.
Ajaero recalled past attempts to include specific provisions that made strike actions illegal when the National Industrial Relations Policy for Nigeria was being developed.
According to him, such insertions were rejected by businesses, trade unions, and Federal Ministry of Labour representatives as being inconsistent with the Trade Unions Act and the 1999 Constitution.
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According to him, trade unions have the legal authority to terminate members in accordance with the constitution and the Trade Union Act.
The new addition to the National Industrial Relations Policy, according to the union president, is not as good as the Constitution and the Trade Union Act.
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