Nigerian Journalists Tackle Govt On Poverty, Inequality As Labour Minister Declares War On Casualisation, Migrant Workers' Safety
The charge was given by the acting National president of Labour Correspondents Association of Nigeria(LACAN), Mr Patrick Abulu at the 2025 Annual Labour conference for national development with the theme:Improving Internal Resource Mobilisation for Financing Anti-Poverty and Inequality Interventions in Nigeria." and sub-theme: casualisation and fair labour recruitment in Nigeria, under the
Chairmanship of the Honourable minister of labour and employment, Dr Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi..
According to the LACAN president "...It is with a profound sense of honour and a heart full of hope that I stand before you today to deliver this welcome address. On behalf of the Leadership and the entire membership of the LACAN, I extend the warmest of welcomes to each and every one of you to this pivotal 2025 Annual Labour Conference. It will interest you to know that this is our second conference, last year was tagged: Annual Media Parley and this year will adopted the ALC 2025..."
"We are gathered here not merely as attendees of another conference, but as architects of a fairer future, as voices for the voiceless, and as stakeholders in the most critical project of our time: the battle against the twin scourges of poverty and inequality in our beloved nation, Nigeria"
Patrick Abulu said this year's theme strikes at the very heart of Nigeria's national challenge: “Improving Internal Resource Mobilisation for Financing Anti-Poverty and Inequality Interventions in Nigeria.”
He said theme is a clarion call. It is a recognition that waiting for external saviours is a strategy of the past. "The solutions to our problems, and the resources to fund them, must be generated from within. We must look inwards, plug the leaks in our national treasury, challenge the structures that perpetuate economic disparity, and demand a system where Nigeria’s immense wealth is mobilised $for the benefit of all Nigerians, not just a privileged few." He said.
The LACAN President noted that there must be a focus on innovative and equitable strategies for domestic resource mobilisation; through fair taxation, efficient governance, and a deliberate channelling of national resources towards human capital development and social protection.
"... a house built on a weak foundation cannot stand. You cannot finance the fight against poverty while simultaneously creating new poor. This brings me to our critical sub-theme: “Casualisation and Fair Labour Recruitment in Nigeria.”
Abulu highlighted that the modern workplace is increasingly defined by precarious employment, l the rampant casualisation of labour, the proliferation of unfair recruitment practices, and the erosion of workers' rights are not just labour issues; they are primary drivers of poverty and inequality. When a worker is denied a living wage, job security, and the dignity that comes with stable employment, we are not building a nation; we are constructing a powder keg of social discontent."
He interrogates furter that how can we speak of internal resource mobilisation when a vast majority of our workforce earns too little to contribute meaningfully to the tax base? How can we combat poverty when a worker can be hired and fired at will, with no benefits, no pension, and no future to plan for? The fight for fair labour recruitment is, therefore, inseparable from the fight for a prosperous and equitable Nigeria. We must dismantle the structures of casualisation and build in their place a framework that guarantees decent work, fair wages, and the protection of every worker’s right to dignity."
"In the next few hours, we will be privileged to listen to insightful presentations, and roburst intetaction.
Therefore, my -charge to you all my colleagues and invited guests, is simple: let us engage with passion, but also with pragmatism. Let us speak truth to power, but also construct pathways to progress. Let our deliberations be frank, our resolutions be bold.
He noted that a communiqué is expected at the end of the conference that would be shared to stakeholders.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the conference and minister of labour and employment Mohammed Maigari Dingyade said the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, working through the Labour Inspectorate Department and the Tripartite Industrial Relations Framework, has intensified efforts to ensure compliance with the provisions of the Labour Act and related employment standards. We are engaging with employers, including Private Employment Agencies, to regularize non-standard employment arrangements and promoting collective bargaining mechanisms that balance flexibility with fairness.
" Furthermore, the ongoing review of Nigeria's labour laws – aimed at modernizing our legal framework in line with ILO conventions and global best practices – will introduce clearer provisions to regulate new forms of work, including contract and platform -based labour."
On the issue of fair migration, the minister said it must be fair, regular, and beneficial to both countries of origin and destination. Nigeria's strategic demographic advantage means that our labour migration can serve as a powerful fool for development – if properly managed.
Maigari said the Ministry, in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), has developed a National Labour Migration Policy, which provides a framework for protecting the rights of migrant workers, preventing exploitation, and promoting mutually beneficial labour mobility.
"In recent years, we have taken concrete steps to expand Bilateral Labour Agreements (BLAs) with countries that regularly recruit Nigerian workers, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar, These agreements define clear terms for recruitment, working conditions, and social protection. Equally important, our Fair and Ethical Recruitment Strategy and the Code of Conduct for Private Employment Agencies – currently under implementation – seeks to eliminate illegal intermediaries, curb trafficking for labour exploitation, and promote transparent job matching through registered private employment agencies in line with ILO Convention 181. Our goal is to ensure that every Nigerian who migrates for work does so under safe, dignified, and lawful conditions – and that labour migration becomes a pathway to empowerment, not vulnerability.
He said the conversation around local content, casualisation, and fair labour migration is ultimately about the dignity of work and the future of our workforce, noting that the Federal Government remains committed to creating an environment where businesses thrive, workers are protected, and national prosperity is inclusive.
" As we deliberate at this Conference, let us remember that the strength of our nation lies not merely in its natural resources, but in the productivity, creativity, and resilience of its people. A just, falr, and decent world of work is not only a moray imperative – it is an economic necessity. I commend the Labour Correspondents' Association of Nigeria for providing this platform for reflection and dialogue, and I assure you of the continued partnership and support of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.
