The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) has called for comprehensive reforms to make Nigeria’s labour justice system faster, more accessible, and responsive to the realities of a rapidly evolving world of work.
NECA President, Mr. Ifeanyi Okoye, made the call on Thursday at the 4th International Labour Arbitration and Adjudication Forum (ILAAF) in Abuja.
The forum, themed “Access to Labour Justice in a Rapidly Changing World of Work,” brought together judicial officers, policymakers, employers, labour leaders, and international stakeholders to examine the future of labour dispute resolution.
Okoye said employers, workers, and government must share responsibility for building fair and trusted labour institutions. He urged participants to move beyond dialogue and propose practical reforms to improve labour justice policy, practice, and institutional performance.
According to him, strengthening labour justice systems is essential to promoting industrial harmony and supporting sustainable economic growth.
“Access to legal justice is not a luxury but a necessity for social stability, investors’ confidence, and sustainable economic growth,” he said.
“Credible and fair labour justice systems protect workers’ rights while giving employers confidence in outcomes and the investment climate.”
He added that preventing workplace disputes through sound human resource practices is often more effective than resolving conflicts through litigation. Clear laws, effective communication, and functional collective bargaining, he said, can resolve many disputes before they escalate.
Okoye noted that transparent, efficient, and professional arbitration systems build trust and encourage compliance within industrial relations, warning that delays and procedural bottlenecks increase business costs and weaken confidence.
In his keynote address, Justice Lelio Bentes Corrêa, Minister of Brazil’s Superior Labour Court, shared Brazil’s experience with specialised labour courts, stressing that effective, independent, and accessible labour adjudication is vital to social peace, economic competitiveness, and the protection of fundamental rights.
He said digitalisation, platform work, and precarious employment pose significant challenges to labour justice systems globally, and urged courts to adapt their procedures, jurisprudence, and technology while remaining anchored in international labour standards and fairness.
Also speaking, Ms. Pamela Azinge, Chairman of the Industrial Arbitration Panel (IAP), represented by IAP arbitrator Ms. Juliana Adebambo, highlighted the panel’s role in preventing disputes from escalating into strikes or litigation. She underscored the importance of mediation and conciliation, urging employers’ and workers’ organisations to make greater use of early-stage dispute resolution mechanisms.
In her remarks, Ms. Inviolata Chinyangarara, a workers’ rights expert at the International Labour Organisation (ILO), said labour justice extends beyond legal compliance, focusing on trust, institutional strength, and the protection of rights and responsibilities.
She reaffirmed the ILO’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s efforts towards social justice, institutional strengthening, and sustained dialogue in the workplace.
