From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
The Federal Government, International Labour Organisation (ILO), and other stakeholders have called on multinational enterprises ((MNEs) in Nigeria to adopt responsible business conduct and uphold the principles of decent work.
Dr Salihu Usman, permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment said this at the ongoing 2-day high-level National Dialogue on Tuesday in Abuja.
The theme of the dialogue was “Promoting sustainable and responsible business practices for the realisation of decent work in Nigeria.”
Usman, represented by Mrs Oloolu Olaitan, director of inspectorate in the ministry, said that the call was imperative as Nigeria pushes forward on key economic reforms under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
He said sustainable business practices were vital to achieving the economic transformation envisaged in President Bola Tinubu.
According to him, decent work is not merely an ILO concept, it is central to our national development aspirations.
He said that while globalisation had opened new economic opportunities, the Nigerian labour market continued to face persistent vulnerabilities, including informality, unsafe work environments, gender inequality, and wage gaps.
He highlighted ongoing reforms within the ministry to promote labour standards, including the finalisation of the National World of Work Gender Policy, the launch of the Labour Employment and Empowerment Programme (LEEP).
He also said that efforts were being made to renew engagements with multinational companies under the ILO MNE Declaration.
Dr Vanessa Phala, ILO country director to Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone and ECOWAS Liaison, said that responsible investment and trade were crucial to creating quality jobs and inclusive development.
Phala, who was represented by Mrs Chinyere Emeka, Programme officer ILO, said that to fully leverage the African Continental Free Trade Area, businesses must adopt practices that respect social and environmental standards.
She called for greater alignment between the home and host countries of MNEs.
Mr Joe Ajaero, President of the NLC, decried what he described as exploitative practices by some MNEs operating in Nigeria.
“Multinational corporations have a special duty to lead by example. Yet what we see are practices that would never be tolerated in their home countries.
“This includes poor wages, unsafe factories, and environmental degradation,”he said.
Ajaero called on the government to step up enforcement and urged the home countries of these corporations to hold them accountable for their actions abroad.
“We, therefore, call on the Nigerian government to stand firm; to strengthen enforcement, to hold corporations accountable, and to ensure that our laws match the realities of today’s economy,” he said.
Ajaero further called on multinational companies in the country to do better, saying, “Step up; not with sloganeering and talk shops, but with concrete action. Pay living wages. Guarantee safe workplaces.
“Respect the right to organise. Clean up your supply chains. And when harm is done, make it right. Make workers feel your actions and policies positively in their lives. That is what we want.
“When your companies plunder Nigerian workers and destroy communities, we see no difference between them and your nations. They are your ambassadors. Call them to order.”
Also, Mr Festus Osifo, President of TUC, said that decent work was not a cost but an investment in human dignity, in productivity, in enterprise sustainability, and in national stability.
Osifo called for immediate and actionable commitments from all stakeholders to ensure that fair wages, workplace safety, and social protections became non-negotiables in Nigeria’s labour landscape.
Representing Nigeria’s organised private sector, the Director General of the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), Mr. Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, highlighted the association’s ongoing efforts to promote decent work and responsible business conduct.
“NECA has been at the forefront of championing these principles in Nigeria’s private sector through partnerships, capacity building, and dispute resolution mechanisms.”
Oyerinde, however, acknowledged that challenges persist, particularly in the informal sector, which employs over 80% of the workforce and remains largely excluded from social protections and decent working conditions.
He called for enhanced tripartite collaboration, stronger implementation of ratified ILO Conventions, and the expansion of social protection schemes to informal and small-scale enterprises.
Mr. Jason Pegat-Toquet, representative of the International Organisation of Employers (IOE), said that there was a need for collaborative efforts by stakeholders to drive effective and impactful responsible business conduct and decent work in Nigeria.
He also pledged the commitment of his organisation to achieving decent labour practices.