Global report lists Nigeria as one of the worst places for workers

Nigeria is now listed among the top 10 countries with the worst records for workers’ rights. Other countries on the list include Bangladesh, Belarus, Ecuador, Egypt, Eswatini, Myanmar, Philippines, Tunisia, and Türkiye.

This was revealed in the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) Global Rights Index for 2025.

The report said workers’ rights are getting worse in many parts of the world. Europe and the Americas recorded their worst results since the index began in 2014.

The report explained that only seven countries have the highest rating for protecting workers’ rights, while 51 countries have very poor records.

If this situation continues, no country will have the top rating in the next ten years.

The study showed that conditions for workers have worsened in most regions. Europe’s rating, for example, has fallen sharply in the last ten years.

Only seven out of 151 countries surveyed got the top rating, compared to 18 countries ten years ago.

The Middle East and North Africa remain the worst regions for workers. Most countries there violate the right to strike and to negotiate collectively.

Access to justice for workers has also reached the worst level ever recorded.

ITUC’s General Secretary, Luc Triangle, said the findings show that decades of neglect and unfair economic policies have weakened workers’ rights.

He warned that this decline is creating room for extremism and threatening democracy. He said the situation can be changed if strong and independent unions work to protect workers and if governments build economies that serve people and not just corporations.

The report also said that 12 countries, including Afghanistan, Libya, Palestine, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen, have the lowest rating due to conflicts and collapse of law and order.

However, Australia, Mexico, and Oman improved their ratings this year. Seven countries, including Argentina and Italy, recorded worse conditions for workers.

The 2025 report was released on June 2 at the start of the International Labour Conference in Geneva, Switzerland. ITUC said it would use the conference to fight against rights violations, improve protections for gig workers, address workplace health risks, and support the movement of informal workers into formal jobs.

A special session was also planned to discuss the report and hear from trade union representatives in some of the worst-rated countries.