The Federal Government and the Registrar of Trade Unions have been directed by the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, which is located in Abuja, to register the recently established National Association of Non-Teaching Staff of Nigerian Universities as a trade union. Judge Osatohanmwen Obaseki-Osaghae's ruling mandated that the three defendants register the NANTS (claimant) as a trade union in accordance with the Trade Union Act. On Tuesday, our correspondent received a copy of the court's enrollment of the judgment order.
Through one of their comrades, Niyi Akinnibi, the varsity employees had previously filed a petition before the court with suit number NICN/ABJ/345/2023, requesting an order compelling the government to register the National Association of Non-Teaching Staff of Nigerian Universities as a trade union. The Attorney General of the Federation, the Minister of Labor and Employment, and the Registrar of Trade Unions are the defendants in the lawsuit.
The court ruled that the first and second defendants' refusal to register NANTS as a trade union was improper. Additionally, it prohibited the agents and defendants from refusing to register the claimant as a trade union in accordance with the Trade Unions Act. In order to register the NANTS with branches in every state and federal university in the nation, it was reported that members of the new union left the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities.