Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2022, published 111st ILC session (2023)

Equality of Treatment (Accident Compensation) Convention, 1925 (No. 19) - Nigeria (Ratification: 1960)

Application of the Convention in practice.(i) Measures to raise awareness. The Committee notes the Government’s reply to its previous request for information on the measures taken to raise foreign workers’ awareness of their rights under the Employees’ Compensation Act, 2010 (ECA) and to facilitate their access to the relevant authorities to claim their rights under the ECA. It notes, in particular, the indication by the Government, that workers are provided with copies of the company handbook at their workplace, which include the provisions of the ECA in the event of industrial accidents. The Committee invites the Government to consider implementing additional measures to facilitate foreign workers’ understanding of their rights to compensation and to enable them to assert such rights, such as the provision of handbooks or assistance in other languages. The Committee also requests the Government to indicate if support is given to victims of work accidents to ensure the due reporting of accidents to labour inspectors.

(ii) Statistical data collection. The Committee notes a lack of statistical information relating to the application of the Convention in the Government’s report, which does not reply either in a specific manner to the Committee’s request for information on the reasons for the lack of work accidents involving foreign workers reported in the last years. The Committee recalls the importance of statistical information for its evaluation of the application of the Convention in practice, requiring equality of treatment between workers who are nationals of one ratifying Member state and those who are nationals of other ratifying States in case of work accidents. The Committee requests the Government to provide, if available, up-to-date statistical information concerning: (i) the number of foreign workers in the national territory, their nationality, and their occupational distribution; (ii) the number of accidents at work reported in the case of foreign workers, in conformity with the report form on the application of the Convention; and (iii) the compensation provided to workers and/or their dependents. If the above information is not available, the Committee requests the Government to provide estimates. The Committee further requests the Government to indicate measures envisaged to address possible gaps concerning the collection of statistical information on work accidents involving foreign workers.