Labour Continues It’s Push For The Domestic Workers Protection Bill Before National Assembly
The Ministry of Labour and Employment has reaffirmed its support for the bill before the National Assembly, seeking to protect the rights of domestic workers who are among the most vulnerable groups in the Nigerian labour market.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi, said this in his remarks during the post public hearing interactive meeting on the “Bill for an Act to provide for the Documentation and Protection of Domestic Workers and Employers, and for other matters connected therewith,” organized by the Senate Committee on Labour, Employment and Productivity.
Dingyadi noted that domestic workers play a crucial role in Nigerian households and society, but for too long, they had remained among the most vulnerable groups in the labour market, facing precarious working conditions, low wages, and lack of legal protection.
The Minister, therefore, described the bill as a welcome and timely initiative aimed at ensuring that domestic workers were afforded the dignity, rights, and protections they deserve while also setting clear obligations for their employers.
He said: “As mentioned by my predecessor during the public hearing last year, the Ministry of Labour and Employment is fully committed to supporting this bill and ensuring its effective implementation when passed into law.
“We believe that the passage of this piece of legislation is a crucial step towards promoting decent work and protecting the rights of domestic workers in Nigeria. It is our expectation that the amendments proposed by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, as contained in the memorandum submitted by the Ministry during the public hearing, are reflected in the bill before passage.”
Dingyadi told the meeting that the Ministry in line with its commitment to International Labour Standards, included in its 2025 work plan, the ratification of the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Domestic Workers Convention, 2011 (No 189), which sets out minimum standards for the treatment of domestic workers worldwide, believing that its ratification would further strengthen the efforts to protect the rights of domestic workers in Nigeria.
He also informed the gathering that the Ministry had taken proactive steps to enhance the legal framework for labour relations in Nigeria.
Speaking further, Dingyadi said, “As part of the ongoing review of our labour laws, the Ministry has amended the definition of a worker in the current Labour Act Cap L1 2004 to explicitly include domestic workers.
“This amendment is incorporated in the reviewed Labour Standards Bill, which will soon be forwarded to the National Assembly for consideration. By formally recognizing domestic workers within our legal framework, we seek to eliminate ambiguities in their employment status and ensure they enjoy the same protections as other categories of workers.”
He encouraged all stakeholders to engage constructively and contribute insights that would help shape an inclusive and effective law, while deliberating on the bill, urging them to seize the opportunity to make history by laying the foundation for a more just and equitable working environment for domestic workers and their employers in Nigeria.
The Minister commended the Senate Committee for its commitment to ensuring the rights and protection of domestic workers and other categories of workers across all sectors of the economy.
He lauded the Senate Committee for taking the initiative and reaffirmed the commitment of the Ministry of Labour and Employment to working collaboratively towards the successful enactment and implementation of the bill.
Earlier, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Labour, Employment & Productivity, Diket Plang, said the meeting was convened to get the input of the Ministry for proper packaging of the bill.
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