NLC seeks specialised training for Labour reporters, better welfare for journalists
By Eberechi Obinagwam
The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called for specialised training for journalists covering the labour sector, stressing the need for a deeper understanding of industrial relations, collective bargaining and workers’ rights.
He also urged the Labour Writers Association of Nigeria (LAWAN) and the Labour Correspondents Association of Nigeria (LACA) to strengthen collaboration through joint training programmes and retreats to improve labour reporting.
The NLC president made the call at the 2026 annual conference of LAWAN, held at the Golden Tulip Hotel, Airport Road, Lagos, on Friday.
Speaking at the conference, themed, “Workers at the Centre of Nigeria’s Political Transition: Defending Rights, Advancing Welfare and Building Economic Justice,” he said labour reporting required specialised knowledge beyond the conventional coverage of strikes and industrial disputes.
According to him, journalists must understand the issues that lead to industrial actions, the dynamics of negotiations and the considerations behind decisions taken by labour leaders.
“Labour reporting is different from other beats, and labour reporters should be sensitive to the behaviour of their editors,” he said, noting that journalists needed proper training to understand the complexities of the labour movement.
He proposed a two-to-four-day joint retreat for members of LAWAN and LACA, where labour leaders and industrial relations experts would engage journalists and explain the considerations informing decisions within the movement.
The NLC president also cautioned journalists against interpreting compromises reached during negotiations as failures, explaining that collective bargaining involved strategy, available resources and the ability of employers to implement agreements.
“You must negotiate with enough information about the revenue of your place and how to increase revenue and even the productivity of your workers,” he said.
He maintained that agreements reached between workers and employers must be realistic and enforceable, warning that agreements that cannot be implemented serve little purpose.
“Any agreement that is not implementable is a piece of paper,” he said.
Ajaero further called for greater solidarity among Nigerians, insisting that the labour movement could not independently address all the economic challenges confronting workers and citizens.
He said the NLC remained willing to collaborate with other groups and stakeholders on issues affecting the wider population, including the cost of transportation, fuel prices and the general welfare of Nigerians.
He added that worker-centred government policies would stimulate economic growth by improving workers’ purchasing power and increasing money in circulation.
Earlier, the Chairman of LAWAN, Mr Toba Agboola, noted that the association stands as one of the foremost and most influential media beat n the country, adding that the association played an important role in shaping public discourse on labour relations, trade unions, employment policies and workers’ rights.
Agboola said that the conference provided an opportunity for stakeholders to examine the place of workers in Nigeria’s political, social and economic development.
According to him, the theme is a vital national dialogue which must be taken with every seriousness, explaining that the workshop was to examine issues including social security, pensions, healthcare, workers’ welfare, collective bargaining and freedom of association.
“We gather here at a crucial moment in our nation’s journey, united by a shared conviction: that Nigeria’s progress relies entirely on the strength, rights and well-being of its workforce.”
He said that workers should no longer be treated merely as inputs in economic activities but placed at the centre of national policies. “For too long, workers have been treated as mere inputs in economic questions. Today, we turn that narrative around. This gathering is a call to reshape our nation’s future by placing the working class at the absolute core of our political, social, and economic policies,” he said.
Agboola expressed appreciation to participants and stakeholders for their support and commitment to the association’s activities.
