Employment disputes in Nigeria are heard by the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, which has exclusive jurisdiction over labour and employment matters.
Why the NICN matters
Because the Labour Act covers only a subset of employees, the Court has become the main source of protection for everyone else.
It has applied international labour standards and fairness principles to matters the Act does not address directly — including unfair dismissal, which the Act itself does not regulate for excluded categories.
Leave in lieu at termination
One area where NICN rulings have made a concrete difference: if you were operationally prevented from taking leave, you retain the right to the cash equivalent at termination, calculated at your final monthly salary rate.
This is the most common payroll dispute the Court sees.
What to gather before a claim
- Your contract of employment or offer letter
- Payslips covering the relevant period
- Correspondence about leave requests and refusals
- Any disciplinary or termination letters
- PFA statements if pension is in dispute
Document as you go
The single most useful habit is keeping written records at the time, not reconstructing them afterwards.
If a leave request is refused, keep the email. If your role changes, keep the communication. If pay is late, note the dates.
The Ministry of Labour
The Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment handles conciliation in trade disputes and can be a first step in some matters.
Union representation
Where your workplace is unionised, the union is often the fastest route to resolving a dispute, and collective agreements may give you rights beyond both the Act and your contract.