The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has criticised what it described as a growing trend of courts swiftly issuing injunctions and ex parte orders to restrain workers from pursuing their legitimate demands.
NLC President, Joe Ajaero, voiced this concern on Thursday in Abuja during the 2025 Annual Public Lecture of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), themed “Labour Justice and Labour Law Education.”
Speaking at the event, Ajaero said the practice of granting rapid injunctions in favour of government and employers had become a major obstacle to industrial harmony and the protection of workers’ rights in Nigeria. He urged the judiciary, particularly the NICN, to uphold its constitutional duty of safeguarding workers rather than silencing them.
“It is our firm belief that the judicial process, especially under the sacred mandate of the National Industrial Court, must not be used to further the emasculation of workers,” Ajaero said. “Instead, it should serve as a shield to protect the weak and vulnerable worker from the paws of unconscionable employers.”
The NLC president questioned why such injunctions appeared to be granted hastily only to government and employers, describing the trend as “deeply disturbing.” He warned that the misuse of injunctions to suppress workers’ rights to association, assembly and expression undermines fundamental constitutional freedoms.
He accused some judges of bias, saying this imbalance “has weaponised the judicial tool meant to preserve the status quo against the workforce.”
Ajaero also criticised the uneven application of Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees freedom of association. He noted that while political and religious freedoms are vigorously defended, trade union rights often receive far less judicial protection. He urged the NICN to affirm that freedom of association in the workplace is as essential as it is in politics or religion.
Also speaking at the event, President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Festus Osifo, represented by Mr. Iyen Adegbe, said that improved labour law education could help prevent many workplace conflicts.
“Many conflicts in workplaces are not only due to deliberate violations but also to ignorance of the law,” he said. “A workforce that understands its rights, and an employer who knows the law, are better positioned to prevent disputes.”
In his address, President of the NICN, Justice Benedict Kanyip, called for stronger collaboration among stakeholders to promote labour justice and sustain social harmony. He noted that the lecture—now in its fourth edition since 2019—was instituted to address the poor understanding of labour laws in the country.
“Labour justice is rooted in fairness, human rights and the rule of law,” he said. “It ensures dignified working conditions and promotes social justice in the workplace.”
The Guest Speaker, Prof. Ademola Popoola of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, advised aggrieved workers to embrace alternative dispute resolution mechanisms. He warned that the NICN could become overwhelmed if its capacity was not quickly strengthened.
