Key Points

• Unions condemn rise of slave-like factory labour.

• Workers face casualisation, outsourcing, and poor welfare.

• Labour leaders call for stronger protections and fair jobs.

Nigerian labour leaders are sounding the alarm over what they call slave-like factory conditions, where workers face exploitation under harsh employment practices.

The concerns were raised at the 33rd Annual Industrial Relations Seminar of the National Union of Chemical, Footwear, Rubber, Leather and Non-Metallic Products Employees (NUCFRLANMPE), held in Ilorin, Kwara State.

The union said casual jobs, outsourcing, and contract staffing are replacing decent jobs, leaving workers vulnerable.

Bolarinwa Sunday, president of NUCFRLANMPE, described the trend as dangerous for workers and the economy.

“Precarious work is replacing decent work,” he said. “We must balance productivity with workers’ welfare.”

Unions push back against casualisation

Union leaders warned that many companies, especially along the Lagos–Sagamu–Ibadan corridor, are operating like “slave camps.”

Workers are reportedly housed under strict control, with soldiers and police guarding factory gates and punishing those who protest.

“These companies, many owned by foreign operators, are violating workers’ rights daily,” Sunday said. “We are not resting. Labour will confront these practices and call them to order.”

Peters Godonu, president of the National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, said workers are struggling with rising living costs, job insecurity, and loss of dignity.

He added that while industries need to stay competitive, it must not come at the expense of workers’ rights and welfare.

Government promises support for reforms

The Minister of Labour and Productivity, Mohammed Dingyadi, commended the unions for holding the seminar despite tough economic conditions.

Represented by a senior official, he said the ministry supports efforts to build skills and improve welfare.

Issa Aremu, director-general of the Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies, called for subsidies on worker education, stressing that building human capacity is vital for national growth.

Unions say the rise of slave-like factory labour in Nigeria is one of the biggest threats facing workers today.

They argue that without urgent reforms, decent jobs could disappear, leaving exploitation as the norm in many industries.