Nigeria has been ranked among the ten worst countries in the world for violations of workers’ rights, alongside Bangladesh, Belarus, Ecuador, Egypt, Eswatini, Myanmar, the Philippines, Tunisia, and Türkiye.
This ranking was disclosed in the 2025 edition of the Global Rights Index published by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), which warns that workers’ rights are deteriorating globally at an alarming rate.
According to the report, workers’ rights are in a state of decline across all continents, with Europe and the Americas recording their poorest performances since the Index was first introduced in 2014. Only seven countries now retain a top rating of ‘1’—the highest level of respect for labour rights—compared to 51 countries rated either ‘5’ or ‘5+’, indicating a grave disregard for such rights.
The ITUC warns that if the current trajectory continues, no country may hold the top rating within the next decade. Three of the five global regions assessed in the Index experienced worsening conditions, with the Americas scoring 3.68 and Europe 2.78—both the worst ratings in their respective histories.