The Nigerian Federal Ministry of Labor and Productivity is the Nigeria

Nigeria

Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...

n Federal Ministry concerned with relations between workers and employees. It is headed by the Minister of Labour, who is appointed by the President

President of Nigeria

The President of Nigeria is the Head of State and head of the national executive. Officially styled President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces. The current President of Nigeria is Goodluck Jonathan.-History:On October 1, 1960, Nigeria gained...

, and is assisted by a Permanent Secretary, who is a career civil servant.

Leadership

Hassan Muhammed Lawal

Hassan Muhammed Lawal

Hassan Muhammed Lawal is a Nigerian politician from Nasarawa State who has served as Federal Minister of Labour, and then of Works and Housing, between 2004 and 2010.-Background:Lawal, was born in Keffi, Nasarawa State....

 was appointed Minister of Labour in 2003, and was reappointed by President Umaru Yar'Adua in July 2007.
He was moved to the Ministry of Works and Housing and replaced by Adetokunbo Kayode

Adetokunbo Kayode

Adetokunbo Kayode, Senior Advocate of Nigeria held several positions in the cabinet of President Umaru Yar'Adua and was appointed Defence Minister of Nigeria in April 2010 by the then Acting President Goodluck Jonathan.Adetokunbo hails from Ikaram-Akoko in Ondo State and holds the traditional...

 in December 2008. Kayode had previously been Minister for Tourism, Culture and National Orientation.
The Permanent Secretary in December 2009 was Dr. Haruna Usman Sanusi.

History

The Federal Ministry of Labor and Productivity has been in existence (with different names) since 1939, with the central purpose of ensuring cordial relations between workers and employers in the public and private sectors.
The body was created after the start of World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

 to coordinate resources for war efforts, with first one and then two Labor Inspectors attached to the Governor’s Office. With growing worker agitation over cost Of living allowances, the Department of Labor was established on 1 October 1942. It was headed by a Commissioner and two Labor Officers, and was charged with dealing with labor movement issues, ensuring the orderly development of Industrial Relations and enforcing protective legislations.
The organization grew as the war progressed, with offices opened in the industrial centers of Enugu

Enugu

Enugu is the capital of Enugu State in Nigeria. It is located in the southeastern area of Nigeria and is largely populated by members of the Igbo ethnic group. The city has a population of 722,664 according to the 2006 Nigerian census. The name Enugu is derived from the two Igbo words Enu Ugwu...

, Kaduna

Kaduna

Kaduna is the state capital of Kaduna State in north-central Nigeria. The city, located on the Kaduna River, is a trade center and a major transportation hub for the surrounding agricultural areas with its rail and road junction. The population of Kaduna is at 760,084 as of the 2006 Nigerian census...

 and Lagos

Lagos

Lagos is a port and the most populous conurbation in Nigeria. With a population of 7,937,932, it is currently the third most populous city in Africa after Cairo and Kinshasa, and currently estimated to be the second fastest growing city in Africa...

.
Later a Ministry of Labor was created in addition to the Department of Labor, and the two were merged on 1 April 1958. After Independence in 1960, the Ministry has grown steadily, renamed the Federal Ministry of Employment Labor and Productivity in 1979 and the Ministry of Labor in January 2007.

Organization

The outward-facing divisions the Ministry of Labour are Trade Union Services and Industrial Relations; Employment and Wages and Inspectorate. The Trade Union Services Division formulates policies on trade union organizations and manages disputes and complaints. It also assists in worker’s education, and keeps records on trade unions and their activities. Internally-oriented departments are Human Resources; Finance and Supplies; Policy, Analysis, Research & Statistics.

The Ministry is responsible for several parastatals (government-owned agencies): Michael Imoudu National Institute For Labour Studies (MINILS), Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), National Directorate of Employment (NDE), National Productivity Center (NPC), National Industrial Court and Industrial Arbitration Panel (IAP).