LEGAL FRAMEWORKS, TRADE UNION INFLUENCE, AND BEST PRACTICES: UNDERSTANDING REMUNERATION RULES AND EMPLOYEES' RIGHTS IN NIGERIA

This paper analyzed the legal framework that govern remuneration rules and employees’ rights in Nigeria through assessing recent reforms and ongoing enforcement challenges. Nigeria’s labour laws, Labour Act, National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Act 2024, Pension Reform Act 2014, and Employees’ Compensation Act 2010, which aimed to protect workers and ensure fair compensation, were considered. Despite these legal advancements, there remains a significant gap between policy and practice. Major challenges seen include weak enforcement, limited coverage of the informal sector, inadequate labour inspection, low awareness of rights among employees, and high cost of seeking legal redress. Many employees continue to experience wage violations, delayed salary payments, insufficient pension compliance, and inconsistent access to leave and maternity entitlements. Economic pressures such as currency devaluation, fuel subsidy removal, and persistent inflation further erode the real value of wages and welfare guarantees. The study concluded that while Nigeria has established a solid statutory foundation for labour protection, institutional reforms, improved oversight, broader inclusion, and more accessible dispute resolution systems are required to ensure meaningful compliance. Strengthening these areas will support the realization of decent work and enhance social protection for all categories of workers.