The National Industrial Court of Nigeria has ordered the Federal Government and the Registrar of Trade Unions to immediately register the National Association of Non-Teaching Staff of Nigerian Universities (NANTS) as a recognised trade union, in a ruling that could reshape labour representation in Nigeria’s university system.
Delivering judgment, Justice Osatohanmwen Obaseki-Osaghae of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria held that the refusal of the authorities to register the association was unlawful, discriminatory, and contrary to the provisions of the Trade Unions Act.
The court specifically directed the Minister of Labour and Employment, the Registrar of Trade Unions, and the Attorney-General of the Federation to issue a certificate of registration to the group without further delay.
The claimant, Comrade Niyi Akinnibi, had approached the court on behalf of the association, seeking legal recognition as a trade union for non-teaching staff in Nigerian universities.
It was gathered that members of the newly formed NANTS had earlier disengaged from the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) before moving to secure independent registration under the Trade Unions Act.
In her ruling, Justice Obaseki-Osaghae also restrained the defendants and their agents from further withholding or denying the association registration, describing the earlier refusal as wrongful and unjustifiable.
The court further granted a perpetual injunction barring any attempt by government agencies to obstruct the union’s legal status once compliance is completed.
The development is expected to intensify ongoing realignments within the non-teaching staff labour structure in Nigeria’s public universities, where union influence and membership base have remained a subject of internal contest.
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