The Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI) has called on the Federal Government and employers to end labour casualisation, improve workers’ wages and strengthen protections against workplace exploitation across Nigeria.
The union also urged employers to respect workers’ rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining, warning that the growing use of contract, outsourced and temporary employment arrangements was leaving many workers without adequate social protection.
ASSBIFI Acting National President, Fanimokun Isaac Adesina, made the demands on October 7, 2026, during the association’s commemoration of the World Day for Decent Work at its events centre in Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos.
Adesina said the annual commemoration reflected the union’s commitment to advancing workers’ rights, social justice and peaceful industrial relations.
He noted that this year’s theme, “Young Workers Organizing for the Future,” was particularly relevant as technological developments continued to reshape employment and workplace relations.
According to him, artificial intelligence, automation, digitalisation, platform-based employment and outsourcing are changing the nature of work, requiring unions and employees to prepare for emerging challenges.
Union Raises Concern Over Casual Employment
Adesina expressed concern about what he described as the increasing replacement of permanent jobs with casual, contract and outsourced positions in the banking, insurance and financial services sectors.
He said some graduates with university degrees and professional qualifications were being employed under arrangements that allegedly offered limited access to pensions, health insurance, job security and collective bargaining.
The ASSBIFI leader argued that employment practices should not deprive workers of fundamental rights or expose them to prolonged financial uncertainty.
He also criticised situations in which workers were allegedly pressured to relinquish their freedom of association as a condition of securing or retaining employment.
Describing such practices as unacceptable, Adesina called on employers to uphold workers’ rights and comply with relevant labour laws and international standards.
He specifically urged organisations to respect International Labour Organization Conventions 87 on freedom of association, 98 on collective bargaining and 158 on termination of employment.
ASSBIFI Renews Demand for Living Wages
The union also called for improved remuneration, saying the N70,000 national minimum wage was insufficient to meet the basic needs of many Nigerian workers amid rising living costs.
Adesina urged the Federal Government to take measures to reduce the financial burden associated with food, transportation, healthcare, housing and education.
“The worker deserves living wages, not the seventy thousand Naira stipend that does not take the worker to the bus-stop,” he said.
He maintained that workers deserved salaries and social protection benefits that would enable them to maintain a decent standard of living during their employment and after retirement.
The union leader further called for the restoration of gratuity payments to eligible employees, describing the benefit as an important recognition of workers’ years of service.
Union Seeks Review of Labour Laws
Adesina urged the government to review relevant labour legislation to address practices that allegedly discourage workers from joining trade unions.
He specifically called for a review of Section 12(4) of the Trade Union Act, arguing that some employers had used it to pressure or discourage employees from exercising their rights to union membership.
He maintained that workers should be able to join unions of their choice without intimidation, victimisation or other forms of coercion.
The ASSBIFI president also called for the renewal of the sector-wide collective bargaining agreement covering the banking, insurance and financial services industries.
According to him, the agreement had been due for renewal since 2007, and he urged employers and union representatives to return to negotiations to resolve outstanding issues.
He further appealed to the Federal Government to ratify ILO Convention 158, which addresses termination of employment, arguing that stronger safeguards were necessary to protect workers from unfair dismissal.
Regulators Urged to Enforce Decent-Work Standards
The union called on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) and other relevant regulatory bodies to make compliance with decent-work standards an important consideration in corporate governance.
Adesina said regulators could help promote better employment practices by encouraging organisations under their supervision to respect workers’ rights and provide appropriate protections.
He also warned that technological changes could affect workers whose skills do not keep pace with developments in the workplace.
He encouraged employees to acquire digital competencies and develop their understanding of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and robotics, to remain adaptable as job requirements evolve.
However, he stressed that workers should not bear the entire burden of adapting to technological change, urging employers and government to support skills development and responsible workplace transitions.
Collective Action Key to Protecting Workers, Says Union
Adesina also emphasised the importance of trade union membership and collective bargaining in addressing workplace disputes and improving conditions of service.
He argued that individual employees could struggle to negotiate effectively with employers without collective representation.
“Together we bargain, divided we beg,” he said, urging workers to remain united in defending their rights and pursuing better employment conditions.
He called on workers, employers, trade unions and government institutions to work together towards building a labour environment that supports fair remuneration, job security and social protection.
“United we can change our story, united we can influence government policies, united we can ensure decent work. Unity is our strength; decent work is our right,” Adesina said.
The union’s demands highlight continuing debates over wage adequacy, employment security, collective bargaining and the need to adapt Nigeria’s labour framework to technological and economic changes.
ASSBIFI maintained that cooperation among government, employers and workers would be essential to improving workplace standards and ensuring that economic and technological progress translates into better employment conditions.
