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Uber, Bolt drivers form union, get FG’s approval

Published

3 years ago

January 25, 2023

Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige

The Federal Government on Tuesday presented a letter of approval of registration to an informal sector trade union, the Amalgamated Union of App-Based Transport Workers of Nigeria, AUATWON.

This came after the drivers of e-hailing services in Nigeria have officially unionised and sought the recognition of the government.

A statement by the Head, Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Olajide Oshundun, said the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige made the presentation at a ceremony in his office.

The membership of the new union comprises all app-based transport workers, online transport services, and e-hailing drivers and operators in Nigeria.

Making remarks before the presentation, Ngige described the registration of the new union as a milestone in labour administration, particularly in the trade union services segment, adding that it marks a continued global journey to formalise the informal sector, which constitutes the larger population in the world of work.

The Minister noted that prior to now, the informal sector had been unmanageable, owing to a lack of an identifiable structural framework to harmonise and demarcate its diverse sectors.

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Ngige said, “hitherto, we gave recognition and certification to workers in the formal sector, including the private sector, such as banks, oil and gas, insurance, among other technical areas, and the public sector workers in the unions of pensioners, teachers and recently, the two newly registered university-based unions, the Congress for University Academics (CONUA) and the National Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA).

“Today, we are breaking new ground with those in the informal sector who are employing themselves and from there, employing others. The promoters of AUTWON applied for registration as a trade union on April 27, 2021, to cater for self-employed persons in the field of IT-based transportation services.

“We considered necessary factors and perimeters, especially the global movement, which is sponsored mostly by the International Labour Organisation, ILO, to formalise the informal sector that has most of the working population in the world of work, characterised and independent owned-account workers.

“In our case today, we have a hybrid of the forgone in the informal economy who own and operate economic units which may also further include employers, and members of cooperatives and of social and solidarity economy units.”

Ngige said they also considered the changing world of work oiled by technology transformation as contained in the Centenary Declaration of the ILO in 2019, especially the need to ensure that such transformative changes were human-driven.

He said in view of these considerations, his ministry decided to register AUATWON to enable the organisation of the new but growing segment of the informal economy.

Besides the creation of jobs, he said the registration of the union, would enable the government to monitor the security component of transportation systems in Nigeria

“We are also backed by an international position on the unionisation of workers who are self-employed. The need to ensure that such workers enjoy trade union rights for the purpose of furthering and defending their interest, which includes collective bargaining, has often been emphasised in different fora, concerning the world of work.

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“But for the self-employed, it is a different kind of collective bargaining, tailored to suit the peculiarities of the self-employed segment of workers, and the collective bargaining mechanism may transverse international shores of Nigeria, as such apps are usually foreign-owned and operated.”

In this regard, he urged the union to observe the provisions of Section 3 of the Trade Disputes Act, CAP.T8, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN), 2004, which demands that they should deposition copies of Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) with the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment.

He charged them to also discharge their obligations under the Trade Unions Act, CAP T14, LFN, 2004, such as the rendition of annual returns to the Registrar of Trade Unions.

“The office of the Registrar of Trade Union (RTU) will gazette your organisation in consonance with Sections 5(2) and (3) of the Trade Unions Act, and 90 days will be given for those who want to object to your existence. We will look at each petition on its merit and the RTU will write a recommendation. Afterwards, we will invite you to give you the certificate of registration to operate as a full-fledged trade union.”

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Grand Chief Imam of Oyo Land Seeks Stronger Security Collaboration with NSCDC

Published

2 hours ago

April 29, 2026

Trends Admin

Grand Chief Imam of Oyo Land Seeks Stronger Security Collaboration with NSCDC

The Grand Chief Imam of Oyo Land, Sheikh Al-Imam (Barrister) Bilal Husayn Akinola Akeugberu, has called for enhanced collaboration between religious leaders and security agencies to strengthen peace and security across Oyo State.

Sheikh Akeugberu made the call on Tuesday during a courtesy visit to the Oyo State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) at its headquarters in Agodi, Ibadan, where he was received by the State Commandant, Augustine Padonu.

Grand Chief Imam of Oyo Land Seeks Stronger Security Collaboration with NSCDC

The Grand Imam said the engagement was aimed at deepening cooperation between faith-based institutions and security operatives in addressing emerging security challenges and promoting peaceful coexistence in communities.

He stressed the importance of unity among stakeholders in maintaining societal stability, noting that religious leaders have a critical role to play in promoting intelligence sharing, conflict resolution, and community awareness.

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Sheikh Akeugberu also commended the NSCDC for its efforts in safeguarding lives and protecting critical national assets, describing the Corps as a key pillar in Nigeria’s internal security framework.

He assured the Command of continued support from the Muslim community in Oyo State, particularly in promoting peacebuilding initiatives and grassroots collaboration aimed at improving security outcomes.

In his response, Commandant Augustine Padonu expressed appreciation for the visit, describing it as timely and significant in strengthening community-security relations.

Padonu reiterated the Corps’ readiness to work closely with religious leaders and other stakeholders to enhance security awareness and improve engagement at the grassroots level.

He emphasized the importance of trust, cooperation, and mutual respect in achieving sustainable peace, assuring that the NSCDC would remain committed to its mandate of protecting citizens and maintaining law and order.

The visit ended with a mutual commitment by both parties to deepen collaboration in the interest of peace, stability, and development across Oyo State.

Grand Chief Imam of Oyo Land Seeks Stronger Security Collaboration with NSCDC

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Tinubu Removes NMDPRA Chief Saidu Mohammed Months After Appointment

Published

4 hours ago

April 29, 2026

Trends Admin

Tinubu Removes NMDPRA Chief Saidu Mohammed Months After Appointment

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has removed Mr Saidu Mohammed as the Authority Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), just months after his appointment, in a major shake-up within Nigeria’s petroleum regulatory leadership.

The President has also nominated Mr Rabiu Abdullahi Umar as the new Chief Executive of the agency, subject to Senate confirmation.

According to a statement by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, the decision was taken “in the public interest” and in line with the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021.

The statement explained that the move is aimed at strengthening regulatory efficiency and improving governance in the midstream and downstream petroleum sector under the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Pending Senate confirmation of the new nominee, the most senior officer in the NMDPRA will oversee the agency in an acting capacity.

The Presidency also thanked the outgoing Authority Chief Executive, Saidu Mohammed, for his service and wished him success in his future endeavours.

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Mr Rabiu Abdullahi Umar, the newly nominated head of the agency, is described as a seasoned energy executive with over 25 years of experience across the energy, manufacturing, and infrastructure sectors. He is noted for expertise in strategic leadership, operational transformation, and large-scale project delivery.

He holds a degree in Accounting from Bayero University and is also an alumnus of Harvard Business School.

His nomination comes months after Tinubu initially submitted Mohammed’s name to the Senate for confirmation following leadership changes in key petroleum regulatory agencies. At the time, Mohammed had been expected to lead the NMDPRA, while another nominee was proposed for the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).

Mohammed, a chemical engineer with decades of experience in the oil and gas sector, previously served in senior positions within the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) structure, including Managing Director roles at the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company and the Nigerian Gas Company. He also participated in several national gas infrastructure projects.

The latest development is part of ongoing restructuring within Nigeria’s oil and gas regulatory framework under the Petroleum Industry Act, which has seen changes in leadership across key agencies.

The Senate is expected to consider the nomination of Rabiu Umar in the coming days as part of its confirmation process.

Tinubu Removes NMDPRA Chief Saidu Mohammed Months After Appointment

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Police Order Dismissal, Prosecution of Officers Over Effurun Killing

Published

4 hours ago

April 29, 2026

Trends Admin

police officer kills handcuffed suspect in Delta

Police Order Dismissal, Prosecution of Officers Over Effurun Killing

The Nigeria Police Force has ordered the dismissal and prosecution of officers involved in the extrajudicial killing of 28-year-old Mene Ogidi in Effurun, Delta State, describing the incident as “criminal and unprofessional” and inconsistent with police standards of engagement.

Addressing journalists at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, said the April 26 incident was unacceptable and reaffirmed that no officer has the authority to take the law into their own hands regardless of the circumstances.

The IGP confirmed that the principal suspect, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Nuhu Usman, along with other officers involved in the operation, have been transferred from the Delta State Command to Abuja to face disciplinary proceedings. He added that the Force Disciplinary Committee (FDC) has already taken up the case.

He further disclosed that three inspectors who were part of the operation have been subjected to an Orderly Room Trial as part of internal disciplinary procedures to determine their individual levels of involvement.

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Police Arrest Two Suspects Over Killing of 17-Year-Old UTME Candidate

According to the police leadership, investigations established that ASP Usman violated Force Order 247, which governs the use of firearms, as well as other standard operational procedures regulating police conduct during arrests and engagements with suspects.

The Force has recommended the immediate dismissal of all officers found culpable in the incident. It also directed that they be handed over to appropriate judicial authorities for prosecution over unlawful homicide after their removal from service. The recommendations have been forwarded to the Police Service Commission for final approval.

The Inspector-General distanced the institution from the actions of the officers, stressing that they acted outside official rules and the core mandate of the Nigeria Police Force. He stated firmly that “no uniform is a licence to kill” and reiterated the Force’s zero-tolerance stance on abuse of power and extrajudicial conduct.

He also extended condolences to the family of the deceased and assured Nigerians that justice would be served transparently. The IGP urged residents of Delta State and the general public to remain calm and avoid taking the law into their own hands while investigations and disciplinary actions continue.

The police leadership said the case reflects ongoing efforts to strengthen accountability within the Force and ensure that officers who violate professional standards face appropriate sanctions.