By Victor Ahiuma-Young & Egufe Yafugborhi

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) 21st annual Rain School, held from Monday, July 21 to Friday, July 25, in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, will long be remembered as a reference point.

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Besides labour leaders, government officials, activists, academics, and industrial relations experts, the event also attracted social partners, including the International Labour Organisation (ILO), Fredrick Ebert Stiftung (FES), and the American Solidarity Center, which pledged their continuous support to the NLC despite the global economic crisis.

Addressing the gathering, NLC President, Joe Ajaero, in a thunderous declaration of resistance, vowed that the labour movement would not be silenced by anti-worker forces, accusing government actors at both federal and state levels of launching coordinated attacks on workers’ rights and democratic freedoms.

He said: “This year’s theme: Labour and Human Rights in a Shrinking Democratic Space, is not just a topic for discussion. It is a call to action—a summons for us to rise and defend the soul of our democracy.”

Ajaero described the current situation as an all-out war against organised labour, marked by repression, manipulation of the rule of law, and brazen violations of constitutional rights.

According to him: “The civic space—the arena where we voice our concerns, challenge injustice, and demand accountability—is being systematically compressed. How can we effectively protect workers’ rights in a space that no longer guarantees us the right to participate in governance?”

He cited Nigeria’s recent ranking among the 10 worst countries in the world for workers’ rights violations, warning that “a shrinking democratic space is a threat to workers, to the masses, and to our nation.”

The NLC President specifically criticised Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, saying: “If he can invade the NLC Secretariat and attempt to create a parallel structure in the state, then he is capable of threatening any Nigerian citizen without a second thought. This is a product of ignorance about democratic tenets—and a morbid fear of the same democratic process that brought him to power.”

He lamented: “The total abandonment of governance” in favour of early politicking ahead of the 2027 elections. We are all on our own. Leaders who should be working to alleviate suffering are instead consumed by power games—leaving workers and ordinary Nigerians to bear the brunt of economic hardship and burgeoning insecurity,” he said.

At the federal level, Ajaero expressed outrage over government’s refusal to constitute statutory boards such as the National Pension Commission (PenCom), as well as the controversial conversion of 50 per cent of workers’ contributions to the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) into government revenue.

“We must jointly tell the government: We will not allow our hard-earned benefits to be mismanaged or stolen,” he thundered.

The NLC president also revealed what he described as a sinister attempt by the new NSITF management to take over the NLC National Secretariat.

“Let me be clear: this is not just an attack on a building—it is an attack on the collective voice of Nigerian workers. But just like past attempts, this too shall fail—with your vigilance and solidarity,” he assured.

Ajaero urged workers across all sectors to resist these attacks through education, mobilisation, and political organisation.

“If we do not act now—if we do not occupy, defend, and expand the democratic space—we risk losing the very freedoms that generations of workers fought and bled for.”

On the broader front, Ajaero highlighted recent global victories at the 113th International Labour Conference (ILC) and called for their full domestication in Nigeria. These include a convention to protect platform workers and measures to integrate informal sector workers into formal protections.

“Technology should expand democracy, decent work, and social justice—not erode them,” he said, warning against unchecked algorithmic exploitation and the misuse of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the workplace.

He charged labour leaders, workers, and allies to: “Resist all attempts to shrink the democratic space, for every such attack is an attempt to silence us. The NLC remains unbowed! A people united can never be defeated! Workers united can never be defeated!”

ILO

On her part, ILO Senior Specialist, Country Office Abuja, Inviolata Chinyang Arara, said: “The education and training of workers within the framework of the Rain School and the Harmattan School go a long way, and we are seeing the results. 

ILO recognises the partnership in the workers’ education movement we have also enjoyed over a long period with the Solidarity Center, and we have journeyed together in the education of the workers’ movement with the FES in Nigeria.

“That partnership is what we are enjoying for the 21st time, since this is the 20th edition of the Rain School. Where we operate as the ILO, there are so many good initiatives that have been started, but some of them have not been as resilient as the Schools of the NLC have been, consistently for 21 years. It’s not easy.”

Restrictions of rights 

Also, FES Programme Manager, Remi Ihejirika, said: “It’s common knowledge that spaces for free expression, peaceful assembly, and union activities have continued to shrink in recent times. We’ve seen increasing restrictions on the right to organise, to protest, and to bargain collectively.

“There have been growing instances of intimidation, clampdowns on peaceful protests, and attempts to weaken union rights. At the FES in Nigeria, we assure you that we are committed to stand firmly with the NLC and the labour movement as you defend workers’ rights to a fair wage, decent work, social protection, and political rights.

“More than ever before, we think unity and collective action among workers and unions are crucial in resisting threats to the democratic space and advancing workers’ rights in Nigeria. We believe the way forward is to remain vigilant, continue to organise and build alliances across civil society in order to uphold human and labour rights.”

Similarly, Eric Edi of the Solidarity Center said: “When unexpected policies significantly reduced US foreign aid, causing the Solidarity Center to reduce its programmes, this unexpected situation did not deter our commitment to advancing workers’ rights and human rights all over the world.

“Our presence at this year’s Rain School attests to this commitment, but more so, it attests to how much the Solidarity Center values the trust and partnership with the NLC in the strong belief that trade unions remain the backbone of civil society, particularly in Africa.”

Represented by Akwa Ibom State Head of Service, Elder Effiong Essien, Governor Umo Eno expressed the state’s commitment to hosting the annual Rain School and announced a N10 million support package for this year’s event..