The International Labour Organization (ILO) has renewed its call for Nigeria to adopt fair recruitment practices, as part of efforts to implement ILO Convention 181 on Private Employment Agencies by 2025.
This was the focus on the opening day of a two-day workshop titled “Strengthening Capacity of Private Employment Agencies in Nigeria on Labour Migration Governance,” jointly organised by the Employers’ Association of Private Employment Agencies Nigeria (EAPEAN) and the ILO.
Speaking at the event, ILO’s Mr. Austin Erameh underscored the urgent need for a recruitment system that aligns with international labour standards and eliminates discrimination and exploitation.
He warned that recruitment fees charged to workers often lead to debt bondage, with some migrant workers taking years to repay.
“Fee-charging recruitment agencies violate international standards. Holding workshops is not enough—there must be real change,” he said.
Convention 181, ratified by Nigeria in 2023, provides the legal foundation for the regulation of Private Employment Agencies (PEAs) and applies to both domestic and international recruitment.
Erameh noted that many migrant workers are unaware of their rights, which increases their vulnerability to abuse.
EAPEAN Executive Secretary Mr. Jide Afolabi also spoke at the event, outlining the 13 core principles of the association’s Code of Conduct, which emphasises ethics, transparency, and a ban on charging workers recruitment fees.
He called for greater collaboration with Nigerian embassies abroad and urged PEAs to invest in staff training to professionalise the industry.
Participants—including representatives from the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment and the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association—raised concerns about delays in licensing approvals and weak enforcement of existing standards.
One international recruiter commented, “We want to be compliant in a non-compliant country,” while another attendee stressed that, in line with international standards, employers—not workers—should bear recruitment costs.
The ILO expects Convention 181 to catalyse significant reforms in Nigeria’s recruitment industry, improving protections for workers and aligning the country with global best practices.
