Observation (CEACR) - adopted 1993, published 80th ILC session (1993)

Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87) - Nigeria (Ratification: 1960)

The Committee takes note of the Government's report and recalls that, for several years, the fundamental discrepancies between the national legislation and the Convention concerned the following points:

- the single trade union system established by law under which any registered trade union is compulsorily affiliated to the Nigerian Labour Congress, the only central organization, which is designated by name; the establishment of a single trade union for each category of workers in accordance with a pre-established list; too high a number of members for the establishment of a trade union;

- non-recognition of the right to organize of certain categories of workers (employees in the customs service, in mints, in the Central Bank of Nigeria and in the External Telecommunications Company);

- broad powers of the Registrar to supervize the accounts of trade unions at any time;

- the possibility of restricting the exercise of the right to strike through the imposition of compulsory arbitration beyond essential services in the strict sense of the term.

The Committee observes that in its report, the Government states that the Nigeria Labour Congress has, of its own volition, set up a number of committees to restructure its affiliate industrial unions. The Government indicates, however, that the subcommittee of the National Labour Advisory Council responsible for the review of the labour laws has not yet concluded its work. The Committee expresses the firm hope that the Government will take action on the observations that it has been making for several years with a view to establishing a situation where trade union pluralism would be possible if the workers so wish, recognizing the right to organize of certain categories of employees, restricting the broad powers of the Registrar and limiting restrictions on the right to strike to essential services in the strict sense of the term.