Nigeria Labour Congress

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC ) is an umbrella organization for trade unions in Nigeria. It was founded in 1978 following a merger of four different organizations: Nigeria Trade Union Congress ( NTUC ), Labour Unity Front ( LUF), United Labour Congress ( ULC ) and Nigeria Workers Council ( NWC ). The various affiliated unions were reorganized into 42 industrial unions.

Throughout its history, led conflicts with the military government twice for the dissolution of the national organs of the NLC, the first under the regime of Ibrahim Babangida in 1988, the second in 1994 under Sani Abacha. During the military dictatorships labor leaders were regularly arrested and disbanded union meetings. After democratic reforms were implemented, some restrictions have been lifted against the unions in January 1999. In the same month, Adams Oshiomhole was elected chairman of the reformed organization.

Today, the NLC 29 unions are connected. According to the company, the union has four million members. This makes the NLC one of the strongest unions in Africa.

The current conflict between the government and the NLC escalated when the union opposed the increase in gasoline prices. The price increases are the result of government decisions Olusegun Obasanjo, to slash subsidies and deregulate the gasoline trade. The NLC has several general strikes called out to protest against the price policy of the government, in the course of the NLC chairman Oshiomole was temporarily arrested.

Internal criticism of the NLC was part of women noisy as the union prevented an autonomous organization of women within the NLC. Even allegations against Oshiomole were noisy, as the latter had allegedly cooperated with the dictator Abacha.