Nigeria Labour Congress General Secretary Emmanuel Ugboaja Dies at 60

Emmanuel Ugboaja, the General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has died at the age of 60. His passing followed a protracted illness, with details remaining scarce at the time of reporting.

The announcement was made by NLC President Joe Ajaero to members of the Congress National Executive Council during their ongoing meeting in Enugu, Enugu State. A letter from Ugboaja's family reportedly informed delegates of his death.

Ugboaja, a lawyer and seasoned trade unionist, held the position of NLC General Secretary from August 2019. In this role, he was instrumental in coordinating the labor center's administrative and strategic operations. This included managing relations with affiliate unions, industrial relations, negotiations with government and employers, policy implementation, and nationwide mobilization efforts.

His time as General Secretary coincided with critical periods of negotiation between organized labor and successive governments concerning wages, workers' welfare, and economic policies. Notably, he was involved in the negotiations for the implementation of the N30,000 national minimum wage in 2019, which nearly led to industrial action before an agreement was reached. He also played a role in campaigns and directives related to the implementation of the 2024 National Minimum Wage Act.

Born in May 1966, Ugboaja studied law and initially practiced privately before dedicating himself to the trade union movement in 1993. He is noted as the first Nigerian lawyer to work full-time for a trade union. He held leadership positions within the National Union of Chemical, Footwear, Rubber, Leather and Non-Metallic Products Employees before joining the NLC Secretariat in 2009.