The former President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr. Ayuba Wabba, has emphasised the urgent need for Nigerian labour unions to become financially independent in order to more effectively defend workers’ rights.
Wabba made the call on Sunday at the 42nd National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the National Union of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employees (NUFBTE) in Abuja. The event, themed ‘Strategic Partnerships Between Unions and Employers: A Potent Catalyst in Unlocking Exponential Growth Opportunities in a Depressed Economy’, brought together union leaders and stakeholders to discuss the future of labour relations in Nigeria.
He urged unions to move beyond their reliance on check-off dues and begin generating independent revenue through strategic investments.
“Only strong and independent unions can truly protect their members,” he said. “A weak union, one that lacks financial autonomy and struggles to meet its obligations, will inevitably lose the confidence of its members.”
Wabba stressed the importance of learning from global union models, where investment strategies have contributed significantly to sustainability and influence. He cited the example of Canada’s local government union, which, he noted, has built an investment portfolio exceeding one trillion dollars and acquired ownership of a power sector entity using workers’ funds.
“In many countries, trade unions own major hotels, construction companies, and other profitable enterprises. These investments allow them to remain independent and support their members during industrial actions,” he said.
Wabba, a former global president of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), called on Nigerian unions to emulate these models and develop robust investment portfolios.
“In Germany and China, unions have protected workers’ rights without solely depending on dues. Why should Nigerian unions think they cannot own airlines or support striking members financially? Strategic investment makes this possible,” he said.
He also advised NUFBTE members to support their leadership and work together to ensure lasting peace and progress within the union.
Also speaking at the meeting, the National President of NUFBTE, Mr Garba Ibrahim, called for unity, mutual respect, dialogue, and tolerance among members. He disclosed that the union had embarked on a reconciliation process to mend relations with aggrieved members and had achieved significant debt reduction through prudent financial management.
“We’ve worked hard to reconcile with those who felt wronged and have made commendable progress in managing our finances,” Ibrahim said.
