Broadening labour relations beyond the formal sector: The challenges of the informal sector in Nigeria

Abstract

The informal sector of the Nigerian economy, which is characterized with heterogeneous set of small-scale activities that are barely affected by state action(s), could be regarded as a ‘safety net' for low-income workers without regular employment or social security. Though the sector is resilient and has a vast capacity to absorb jobless labour as well as generate further employment, the workers in the sector operate under unprotected conditions of employment and frequently under precarious conditions with serious implications on the country's labour relations practice.
It is therefore in the light of this that this paper provides a deep insight into the nature, characteristics and significance of the sector in the Nigerian economy, with a view to attempting the possibility of broadening the Nigerian labor relations system beyond the formal employment ( to embrace the informal sector).


IFI PsychologIA Vol. 15 (1) 2007: pp. 1-11