Employment Law and Labour Relations in Nigeria

Employment law shapes every decision an HR manager, line manager or business owner makes about people, from the offer letter to the exit interview. This course explains Nigeria’s employment law and labour relations from the employer’s side, in plain language, with practical Nigerian examples.

It covers the Labour Act, the Trade Disputes Act, the Trade Unions Act and the National Industrial Court, and the court decisions that now carry much of the law, including where the courts disagree and what safe practice looks like. The focus is on principles that do not change: valid reasons, fair procedure, written terms, consistency and good records.

Notice periods, leave days, time limits and amounts are shown as 2026 examples and are expected to change, with labour law reform bills before the National Assembly. All of them are collected in a dated reference table at the end of the course. Always confirm the current position with the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, the National Industrial Court or a legal practitioner before you act.

What you will learn

• How the Constitution, the Labour Act, the other labour statutes, collective agreements and contracts fit together, and who the Labour Act protects
• How to manage employees, contractors, casual, fixed-term and outsourced workers
• How to write contracts and particulars, run probation, and manage working time, leave, pay and records
• How to run fair discipline, hearings, performance and grievance processes, and handle harassment complaints
• How to end employment safely, including notice, summary dismissal, redundancy and final pay
• How to handle NICN claims, unions, collective bargaining, strikes and labour inspections

Who it is for

HR managers and officers, employee and industrial relations officers, line managers who discipline staff, business owners and general managers, and payroll and administration staff who keep employment records.

How the course works

There are five modules, each with four lessons and a short quiz. You need 70% on each quiz to complete the course and earn your certificate.