Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2013, published 103rd ILC session (2014)

Employment Service Convention, 1948 (No. 88) - Nigeria (Ratification: 1961)

Contribution of the employment service to employment promotion. The Committee notes the Government’s report received in November 2012 which includes brief replies to the previous comments. The Government indicates that services rendered by the Employment Exchanges and the Professional and Executive Registries are free of charge. It further reports that there are 42 employment exchange offices and 17 Professional and Executive Registries spread over 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. In 2011, a total of 5,896 applicants were registered with the Employment Exchanges, the Professional and Executive Registries, the National Labour Electronic Exchange (NELEX), and the National Directorate of Employment Job Centres. Of these, 329 applicants were placed in employment out of 383 vacancies notified. According to the Government’s report, sections 23–25 of the Labour Act regulate the activities of private employment agencies. The Government also refers to its National Employment Policy which is a product of tripartite consultation. The Committee recalls that the public employment service is one of the necessary institutions for the achievement of full employment. In conjunction with the Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122), and the Private Employment Agencies Convention, 1997 (No. 181), The Convention forms a necessary building block for employment growth (General Survey concerning employment instruments, 2010, paragraphs 785–790). The Committee invites the Government to include, in its next report, additional information on the impact of the measures taken to ensure that sufficient employment offices are established to meet the specific needs of employers and jobseekers in each of the geographical areas of the country. The Committee also invites the Government to include information on the National Employment Policy and other measures taken to build institutions for the realization of full employment and encourages the social partners to consider the possibility of ratifying Convention No. 122, a significant instrument from the viewpoint of governance. The Government is asked to continue to include statistical information published in annual or periodical reports on the number of Employment Exchanges and Professional and Executive Registries established, applications for employment received, vacancies notified and persons placed in employment by such offices (Part IV of the report form).

Articles 4 and 5. Consultations with the social partners. The Committee invites the Government to provide further details of the consultations held in the National Labour Advisory Board on the organization and operation of the Employment Exchanges and the Professional and Executive Registries and the development of employment service policy.

Article 6. Organization of the employment service. The Government indicates that jobseekers and private employment agencies make use of the instruments and tools available at NELEX for job advertisements and placements. The Committee invites the Government to further describe the manner in which the Employment Exchanges and the Professional and Executive Registries are organized and the activities which they perform in order to carry out effectively the functions listed in the Convention.

Article 7. Activities of the employment service. The Government indicates that the Employment Exchanges and the Professional and Executive Registries are open to all applicants of all occupations and industries. It further reports that the public employment service is influenced by the policy on persons with disabilities. For example, in the Presidential Budget Address of 1986, it was mentioned that every employer was expected to employ a minimum of two persons with disabilities for every hundred employees. Furthermore, in the Guidelines for Appointment, Promotion and Discipline of the Federal Civil Servants, there is a Presidential Order which grants persons with disabilities special concessions with respect to job appointments in the public service. The Committee invites the Government to provide information on the results of the measures taken by the employment service concerning the various occupations and industries, as well as particular categories of jobseekers, such as workers with disabilities.

Article 8. Measures to assist young persons. In addition to the measures implemented by NELEX, the Employment Exchanges and the Professional and Executive Registries, the Government indicates that it has established the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) and the National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP) to assist young persons in finding suitable jobs. The Committee invites the Government to provide in its next report further information on the measures adopted by the employment service to assist young persons in finding suitable employment.

Article 10. Measures to encourage full use of employment service facilities. The Government indicates that a workshop on NELEX was organized in 2009 with the social partners and it resulted in an endorsement as an employment service facility. The Committee invites the Government to continue to provide information on the measures proposed by the employment service, with the cooperation of the social partners, to encourage the full use of employment service facilities.

Article 11. Cooperation between public and private employment agencies. The Government indicates that training of key officials of private employment agencies has been organized in 2007 and 2010. The Committee invites the Government to indicate in its next report the specific measures taken to ensure effective cooperation between the public employment service and private employment agencies.