By Cross Udo, Abuja
Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to its partnership with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) towards the continued promotion of social justice and decent work globally.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Dingyadi, made this commitment on Tuesday while responding to the report of the Director-General of ILO, Gilbert Huongbo, at the 113th Conference of the Organisation in Geneva, Switzerland.
Dingyadi said Nigeria shares the ILO’s vision of a just transition and acknowledges that sustainable development hinges on inclusive economic growth, fair labour practices, and robust democratic institutions.
The Minister observed that the Director-General’s report, titled “Jobs, Rights and Growth: Reinforcing the Connection,” aligns with the “Renewed Hope Agenda” of President Bola Tinubu, designed to institute “sustained socio-economic prosperity in the country through attaining job creation, inclusiveness, food security, poverty eradication, economic growth, access to capital, improved security of life and property, rule of law, and the fight against corruption.”
Dingyadi noted that Houngbo’s report rightly focused on accelerating action towards social justice as a driver for sustainable peace and development.
The Minister, who led the Nigerian delegation to the Conference, also emphasised the commitment of the Nigerian government, along with its tripartite constituents, to advancing social justice.
He said Nigeria, in furtherance to this commitment, signed on to the ILO Global Coalition for Social Justice, geared towards building an equitable society for all Nigerians and partnering with the ILO to achieve its goals and global aspirations for the common good.
Dingyadi highlighted other efforts of Nigeria in this regard, such as the approval of a collectively negotiated New Minimum Wage in July 2024, aimed at ensuring improved living conditions for workers as part of a broader strategy for economic fairness, fair distribution of financial gains and decent work.
He added that Nigeria has intensified efforts to eradicate child labour and forced labour as a pathfinder country under Alliance 8.7, disclosing that the government is “reviewing national legislation, building capacities of partners, strengthening institutions, and implementing community-based programmes to rescue and rehabilitate vulnerable children.
A statement issued by Patience Onuobia, Head of Press and Public Relations, in the ministry, quoted the Minister as saying, “We are conscious that over 60 per cent of Nigeria’s labour force operates in the informal economy.
“Therefore, through various MSME support programmes, tax reforms, and digital registration drives, we are transitioning informal businesses into the formal economy while expanding social protection coverage.”
The Minister stated that the Nigerian government has recently reviewed the National Employment Policy to ensure decent work for Nigerians across all sectors.
He disclosed that Nigeria has scaled up investments in digital economy, infrastructure and ICT training through initiatives such as the National Digital Literacy Framework to ensure that the youth and workers are equipped for jobs of the future.
Dingyadi noted that “Nigeria is persuaded that tripartism is an essential principle for lasting industrial peace and harmony. We have institutionalised mechanisms for collective bargaining and regular consultations among constituents to ensure peaceful industrial relations and collaborative policymaking.”
The Minister also emphasised the importance of all ILO member countries continuing to collaborate to mitigate threats to their shared prosperity and goals and chart a path towards an inclusive, equitable, resilient, productive, and sustainable world.
