Nigeria has been ranked among the world’s worst violators of workers’ rights in the 2025 edition of the Global Rights Index published by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC).
The country joins a grim list that includes Bangladesh, Belarus, Ecuador, Egypt, Eswatini, Myanmar, the Philippines, Tunisia, and Türkiye—all identified as the most dangerous places for working people.
The ITUC report highlighted a global decline in the protection of labour rights, describing the situation as a “free fall” across all continents. It revealed that only seven countries worldwide now enjoy the highest rating of ‘1’ for upholding workers’ rights, compared to 18 countries ten years ago. By contrast, 51 countries—about one-third of those surveyed—received the lowest ratings of ‘5’ or ‘5+’, indicating little or no guarantee of rights.
“If this downward trend continues,” the report cautioned, “no country will retain the top rating within the next decade.”
Labour conditions were found to be deteriorating in three of the five regions surveyed. The Americas recorded a score of 3.68, while Europe scored 2.78—both the worst results since the ITUC began compiling the index in 2014. Europe, which has historically led in workers' rights protections, has seen the steepest drop in standards, with its score falling from 1.84 in 2014.
The Middle East and North Africa were named the worst regions overall for labour rights. According to the report, 87 per cent of countries in that region restricted the right to strike, while 80 per cent violated the right to collective bargaining.
The Index also found that access to justice for workers has reached its lowest point ever, with 72 per cent of countries surveyed found to be restricting legal avenues for workers to seek redress.
ITUC General Secretary, Luc Triangle, blamed decades of deregulation and neoliberal economic policies for the global erosion of labour rights.
“The 2025 ITUC Global Rights Index reveals the collapse of the post-WWII system built on democracy, trade unionism, and social justice,” Triangle said. “Governments have enabled decades of neglect and exploitation, paving the way for rising authoritarianism, economic inequality, and a billionaire-led assault on democracy itself.”
The ITUC called for urgent global action to strengthen labour institutions, restore the right to organise, and ensure workers have access to justice and fair conditions.
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