Despite the clear provisions of the Nigerian Constitution, millions of citizens continue to live in poverty, denied the basic necessities of life.
Section 16 of the Constitution obliges the Nigerian State to ensure a balanced economic development and an equitable distribution of the nation's material resources to serve the common good.
It also forbids an economic system that concentrates wealth and means of production in the hands of a few, and it guarantees citizens the right to adequate food, housing, living wage, healthcare, and social welfare.
Section 17 strengthens these obligations by demanding humane working conditions, equal pay for equal work, and adequate facilities for leisure, culture, and religion. It also guarantees health and safety for workers and mandates equal access to medical care and education without discrimination.
However, in stark contrast to these lofty promises, the ruling elite in Nigeria have systematically violated the economic objectives of the State. Public enterprises have been sold off to political cronies, oil blocks handed to the privileged few, and licenses for solid minerals distributed among themselves.
What should have been the collective wealth of the nation has been concentrated in the hands of a small, powerful group. Those who were excluded from this sharing of the national cake have turned to illicit mining and smuggling of resources, undermining the economic foundation of the country even further.
Although the Constitution attempts to render the Fundamental Objectives and Direct Principles of State Policy non-justiciable—meaning that courts can't enforce them—popular resistance and civil society agitation have pressured the government to adopt policies and enact laws that are supposed to promote the welfare of the people.
These include the Labour Act of 2004, the Trade Union Act of 2004, the Child Rights Act of 2003, the Compulsory Free Universal Basic Education Act of 2004, the Federal Mortgage Bank Act of 2004, the Employees Compensation Act of 2010, the Pension Reforms Act of 2014, the National Senior Citizens Act of 2017, the National Housing Fund Act of 2018, the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act of 2018, the National Health Insurance Authority Act of 2021, the Student Loans Act of 2024, and the National Minimum Wage Act of 2024.
Nigeria has also ratified the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. Articles 15, 16, and 17 of this Charter provide every individual with the right to fair work conditions, health, and education.
Moreover, Section 254(C)(1) of the Constitution gives the National Industrial Court exclusive power to enforce international conventions and treaties relating to labour and workers' rights, even above conflicting local laws. Despite all these laws and treaties, the Nigerian government, especially at the state level, continues to violate the welfare rights of its people.
One glaring example is the enforcement of the Compulsory Free Universal Basic Education Act, which mandates free and compulsory education from primary to junior secondary school.
Shockingly, the immediate past Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr. Hamid Bobboyi, revealed that states have failed to access over ₦135 billion in matching grants due to their refusal to provide counterpart funding.
As a result, about 20 million Nigerian children are out of school. In response to this failure, the Alliance on Surviving Covid-19 and Beyond (ASCAB) dragged the federal and state governments to court, seeking to compel them to fulfill their legal duty.
Instead of defending their neglect, these governments challenged the locus standi of the plaintiffs, effectively saying that citizens have no right to hold them accountable.
In the public sector, top government officials continue to augment their already bloated salaries with security votes and international travel allowances, while ordinary workers remain impoverished.
Although the National Minimum Wage Act has been enacted, at least 20 states have yet to implement the ₦70,000 minimum wage for local government workers and primary school teachers.
Private employers also flout this law with impunity, and the federal government refuses to enforce compliance. The working class is being crushed under the weight of economic neglect and administrative indifference.
The pension sector, once a symbol of social security, is now a source of national anxiety. According to data from the National Pension Commission, the total assets in the Nigerian pension industry rose by 23% year-on-year to ₦22.5 trillion as of December 2024.
Yet, rather than ensure retirees receive their benefits, the federal government borrowed ₦10 trillion from the fund. Many pensioners are still unable to access their entitlements. Concerned by this development, the House of Representatives has resolved to investigate and recover the borrowed funds and to put safeguards in place to prevent the collapse of the entire pension system.
Another source of deep concern is the management of the National Housing Fund (NHF), which requires Nigerian workers to contribute 2.5% of their salaries to support affordable housing projects.
This fund, supported by millions of low-income earners, has become a victim of corruption and mismanagement. In November 2024, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) arraigned former Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) Managing Director, Mr. Gimba Ya’u Kumo, for allegedly diverting $65 million meant for constructing 962 residential units in Abuja’s Goodluck Jonathan Legacy City.
Kumo had previously alleged that some employers had looted as much as ₦100 billion from the fund. These revelations demand urgent investigation and accountability. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) must step up to ensure that every stolen kobo is recovered and redirected toward its original purpose: providing homes for Nigerian workers.
It is undeniably clear that the laws and international treaties meant to improve the lives of Nigerians are in place. What is lacking is political will, institutional accountability, and civil mobilisation.
The NLC and TUC must mobilise their members and allies to mount unrelenting pressure on the government. The time for talk is over. If Nigerian workers and citizens do not rise to enforce these laws and demand the dividends of democracy, the cycle of poverty, exploitation, and injustice will continue unabated.
The road to justice begins with awareness—and ends with action.