Chukwu Obinna 
NLC President, Joe Ajaero
ABUJA, Nigeria – Nigeria’s two largest labour federations unveil a new labour migration policy framework aimed at strengthening protections for Nigerian workers abroad and expanding trade unions’ role in migration governance.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) jointly presented the framework in Abuja on Monday, marking a coordinated response to the growing risks faced by Nigerian migrant workers in the global labour market.
NLC Acting General Secretary, Comrade Benson Upah, says the policy aligns Nigeria’s labour migration governance with international standards while centring the Decent Work Agenda. He references International Labour Organisation data showing 167.7 million migrants participated in the global workforce in 2022, highlighting the urgency of reform.
“To be effective in migration governance, trade unions must adopt evidence-based policies that reflect emerging realities, including employment patterns and workers’ vulnerabilities,” Upah says.
He adds that organised labour remains committed to defending migrants’ human and labour rights, as well as the welfare of their families.
The framework is developed with technical support from the ILO Abuja office and draws from global and regional instruments, including the UN Global Compact on Migration, ECOWAS Free Movement Protocol, SDGs, and AU Agenda 2063. It establishes mechanisms for union engagement at national and regional levels.
Representing the Federal Ministry of Labour, Dr Sunday Onazi describes the framework as a step toward safer and fairer migration, warning that weak regulation exposes workers to exploitation and unsafe conditions.
GIZ Nigeria Programme Director, Sandra Vermuijten Alonge, stresses the need for deeper cross-border union collaboration.
“True solidarity must go beyond conferences to real partnerships that protect workers where they are employed,” she says.
Labour migration focal person Comrade Jame Eustace notes that while Nigeria has migration policies, unions require a dedicated framework to ensure consistent advocacy and influence.
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Oluwatobi Adu 
Edino Chubiyo Cornelius 
Koko Maxwella 