By Joan Nwagwu
The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) has called for reforms to make labour justice systems faster, more accessible, and responsive to modern work realities.
NECA President, Mr Ifeanyi Okoye, made the call on Thursday at the 4th International Labour Arbitration and Adjudication Forum (ILAAF) in Abuja.
The theme of the forum titled “Access to Labour Justice in a Rapidly Changing World of Work.”
Okoye said employers, workers, and government must share responsibility for building fair and trusted labour institutions.
He urged participants to move beyond dialogue and propose practical reforms to improve labour justice policy, practice, and institutional performance.
According to him, stakeholders should strengthen labour justice systems in order to promote industrial harmony and support sustainable economic growth in Nigeria.
Okoye said access to legal justice was essential for social stability, investor’s confidence, and the protection of the rights of both workers and employers.
“Access to legal justice is not a luxury but a necessity for social stability, investor’s confidence, and sustainable economic growth.
“Credible and fair labour justice systems protect workers’ rights while giving employers confidence in outcomes and the investment climate,” he said.
According to him, preventing workplace disputes through sound human resource practices is more effective than resolving conflicts through litigation.
According to him, clear laws, effective communication, and functional collective bargaining can resolve many labour disputes before they escalate.
The NECA president added that transparent, efficient, and professional arbitration systems strengthen trust and encourage compliance within industrial relations.
He said delays and procedural bottlenecks in labour justice systems increase business costs and weaken confidence among employers and workers.
In his keynote address, Justice Lelio- Bentes Corrêa, Minister of Brazil’s Superior Labour Court, shared Brazil’s long-standing experience with specialised labour courts.
He said effective, independent, and accessible labour adjudication was essential to social peace, economic competitiveness, and the protection of fundamental rights.
On digitalisation, platform work, and precarious employment, Corrêa said the changing world of work posed significant challenges to labour justice systems.
He called on labour courts to adapt procedures, jurisprudence, and technology while remaining anchored in international labour standards, fairness, dignity at work, and social dialogue.
Mrs Pamela Azinge, Chairman of the Industrial Arbitration Panel (IAP), highlighted the panel’s role in preventing labour disputes from escalating into strikes or litigation.
Represented by Mrs Juliana Adebambo, an arbitrator with the IAP, Azinge underscored the importance of mediation and conciliation in resolving disputes.
She said the panel encouraged workers’ and employers’ organisations to make greater use of these mechanisms at the early stages of disputes to ensure efficient labour justice.
She noted that early engagement by employers and workers ensures accessible and effective dispute resolution.
Also speaking, Mrs Inviolata
Chinyangarara, Workers’ Rights Expert at the International Labour Organisation (ILO), said labour justice goes beyond compliance with laws.
According to Chinyangarara, labour justice is about building trust, strengthening institutions, and upholding rights and responsibilities across the world of work.
“The forum provides a timely platform for dialogue, partnership-building, and practical solutions for a peaceful and productive industrial relations environment,” she said.
She added that rapid changes driven by technology, economic pressures, and new forms of employment make effective arbitration and strong dispute-resolution mechanisms more critical than ever.
Chinyangarara reaffirmed the ILO’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s efforts toward social justice, institutional strengthening, and a sustained culture of dialogue in the workplace.