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…as Speaker Abbas warns millions of Nigerian workers remain at risk

By Gloria Ikibah

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, has called for the urgent need for the nation to modernise its occupational safety laws to protect millions of workers who face preventable risks daily in factories, construction sites, farms, hospitals, and other workplaces.

Speaker Abbas stated this at a public hearing on a bill for an act to Repeal the Factories Act, CAP F1, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, and to Enact the Occupational Health and Safety Act, 2025, organised by the House Committees on Safety Standards and Regulation and Labour, Employment and Productivity.

Represented by the Chairman Committee on Justice,  Rep. Olumide Osoba, he cautioned that the workforce in Nigeria continues to suffer injuries, illnesses and deaths that could have been avoided if stronger regulations and enforcement mechanisms were in place.

“The true strength of any nation lies not only in its natural resources, but in the safety, security, and health of the people, particularly those who labour daily to sustain the economy.

“The Occupational Health and Safety Bill is therefore more than a legislation; it is a moral imperative, an economic necessity, and a national duty. It embodies our broader parliamentary mandate to protect citizens, promote sustainable development, and build a modern, productive, and globally competitive workforce for Nigeria.
“Across our industries, including manufacturing, agriculture, construction, oil and gas, healthcare, transport, mining, and the informal sector, workers face hazards that too often result in injury, illness, and even loss of life. Many of these tragedies are preventable. They persist due to outdated regulations, weak enforcement, inadequate institutional frameworks, and the absence of a unified national safety architecture.,” he said.

The Speaker noted that unsafe scaffolding, collapsing structures, exposure to harmful chemicals, toxic gases, offshore operations, and poorly maintained machinery remain common in sectors that drive the economy, particularly construction, manufacturing, agriculture and oil and gas.

“This Bill seeks to close those gaps. It establishes a modern, harmonised, and enforceable framework aligned with international best practices and the standards of the International Labour Organization.

“The urgency of this Bill is evident when we consider the fact that these hazards are mostly prevalent in the sectors that drive our economy. In construction, unsafe scaffolding and collapsing structures have left families devastated. In manufacturing, exposure to hazardous chemicals and poor training continue to endanger lives and undermine productivity. In oil and gas, the backbone of our economy, risks from flammable substances, toxic gases, and offshore operations demand preparedness and accountability that only clear legal mandates can ensure. Even in agriculture, where millions of Nigerians earn their livelihood, workers face pesticide exposure, machinery accidents, and unsafe conditions that have long been neglected”, he stated.

Abbas added that the proposed law gives renewed attention to workers in the informal sector, healthcare workers, transport operators, and artisans who, despite forming the bulk of the country’s workforce, are among the least protected.

“This Bill seeks to close those gaps. It establishes a modern, harmonised, and enforceable framework aligned with international best practices and the standards of the International Labour Organization.

“The urgency of this Bill is evident when we consider the fact that these hazards are mostly prevalent in the sectors that drive our economy. In construction, unsafe scaffolding and collapsing structures have left families devastated.

“In manufacturing, exposure to hazardous chemicals and poor training continue to endanger lives and undermine productivity. In oil and gas, the backbone of our economy, risks from flammable substances, toxic gases, and offshore operations demand preparedness and accountability that only clear legal mandates can ensure. Even in agriculture, where millions of Nigerians earn their livelihood, workers face pesticide exposure, machinery accidents, and unsafe conditions that have long been neglected”, Abbas added.

The Chairman House Committee on Safety Standards and Regulations, Rep. David Zacharias, explained that the proposed bill is a historic milestone for Nigeria, and that the country is finally taking decisive steps toward modernising its outdated workplace safety laws.

The legislation he said is a transformative moment for workplace safety after decades of relying on laws that no longer reflect the realities of Nigeria’s evolving work environment.

“This is not just a legislative formality; it is a historic milestone for Nigeria. After years of persistent advocacy from safety professionals, organised labour, industry leaders and concerned citizens, the Occupational Safety and Health Bill now stands before the public for consideration,” he said.

Rep.Zacharias commended the Committees on Safety Standards and Regulations and Labour, Employment and Productivity, as well as the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, who sponsored the Bill. He said their collective commitment helped bring the legislation to this critical stage.

The Bill seeks to repeal the obsolete Factories Act of 2004 and replace it with a comprehensive, science-based, enforceable framework aligned with international best practices and relevant International Labour Organisation conventions.

Zacharias said millions of Nigerian workers continue to face daily hazards—chemical exposure, unsafe machinery, building collapses, infectious diseases, transportation-related incidents and ergonomic strain—often without adequate protection.

He noted that the Bill responds to these challenges by strengthening preventive measures, clarifying employer obligations and extending protections to vulnerable groups, especially those in the informal sector.

He emphasised that the impact of the Bill cuts across every major segment of the economy.

“In manufacturing, clearer standards for hazard control and emergency preparedness will reduce injuries and downtime.

“In construction, where accident rates remain high, provisions for safe scaffolding, fall prevention and proper supervision will save lives. In oil and gas, the Bill strengthens oversight and emergency procedures,” he said.

He added that the agricultural sector where millions of Nigerians work will benefit from safer pesticide handling and better training on machinery.

The Bill also introduces stronger biosafety measures and infection control for healthcare workers who are regularly exposed to risks.

For the first time, traders, drivers, mechanics, artisans and others in the informal economy would be covered under a unified national framework.

Zacharias said the Bill also tackles Nigeria’s longstanding systemic shortcomings in workplace safety, including fragmented regulations, low awareness among employers, fear of retaliation among workers, weak penalties, inadequate data on workplace injuries and limited inspectorate capacity.

“The Bill provides clearer duties for employers and employees, stronger enforcement powers for inspectors, mandatory reporting systems, improved penalties and nationwide safety information management,” he explained.

He emphasised that workplace safety is central to national development, noting that a safer workforce improves productivity, strengthens investor confidence, enhances export readiness and reduces pressure on the healthcare system.

“A safer workforce is a more productive workforce. No Nigerian should lose their life or livelihood simply because they went to work,” he said.

Zacharias urged stakeholders—including labour unions, employers, civil society groups, safety experts and regulators—to make constructive contributions that will help refine the Bill and ensure its effective implementation.

“Your voice matters, your experience matters and your participation matters,” he told participants. “This is an opportunity to shape the future of occupational safety and health in Nigeria.”

The Federal Fire Service urged to the House to clarify certain provisions in the proposed Occupational Safety and Health Bill to avoid conflicts with existing fire safety laws and responsibilities.

Represented by Chief Superintendent of Fire (CSF) Sarki Abdul-Rahman at the public hearing in Abuja, the Service said it supports the overall goal of the Bill but identified a few areas that require adjustment.

Abdul-Rahman said the Fire Service operates a wider mandate that covers all environments, not just workplaces, and therefore any provisions relating to fire protection, fire prevention or emergency response must align with the Fire Service Act, the National Building Code and the Fire Code.

He pointed specifically to Item 31 of the draft Bill, noting that any approval process concerning fire and life safety systems—including alarms, suppression equipment, means of escape and firefighting infrastructure—should not overlap with the statutory duties of the Fire Service.

“Our concern is to ensure that fire-related components remain under the appropriate authority so there is no conflict in enforcement,” he said.

The Fire Service also urged the Committee to review the section on penalties for workplace incidents to ensure that punishments reflect the severity of harm caused.