The Imperatives of Comprehensive Labour Reforms as the “Future of Work” In Nigeria

Author : Dr. Oluwaseyi Augustine Leigh

Abstract : The labour landscape in Nigeria lie prostrate and could be revived by legal reforms. The regulatory framework enacted in the 1970s, has proven inadequate in confronting unfair labour practices in Nigeria and accommodating new labour realities such as remote employment, the gig economy and platform-based labour arrangements, and the rise of artificial intelligence etc. This paper examines the imperativeness of labour reforms as the vehicle for securing the future of work in Nigeria. The gap in the failure of the National Assembly in exercising the legislative power invested in it, for reform of labour laws in Nigeria, has constrained the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), to act in a rather activist matter while adjudicating labour matters by recourse to extra-territorial guide in unfair labour practices. This paper adopts a comparative assessment of the NICN and other African counterparts who have matched statutory laws with judicial decisions. In conclusion, if Nigeria will be ready for the future of work within its domain, it must pass a consolidated Labour Reform statute just like Ghana did in 2003.

Keywords : Labour reforms, Future of work, NICN, Unfair labour practices

Conference Name : International Conference on Employment Law, Labor Relations, and Corporate Policy (ICELLRCP-26)

Conference Place : Virtual, Geneva, Switzerland

Conference Date : 4th Jun 2026