Nigeria Moves To Strengthen Chemical Safety Standards As Labour Ministry Pushes Alignment With Global Best Practices

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The Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment has reaffirmed its commitment to promoting safe, healthy, and worker-friendly workplaces across all sectors of the economy, stressing that effective chemical safety management remains critical to protecting workers, public health, and the environment.

Director of the Occupational Safety and Health Department of the Ministry, Mrs. Owie Florence Ogheneovo, stated this on Tuesday in Abuja during a one-day stakeholders’ meeting on the International Labour Organization (ILO) Chemical Hazards Convention Questionnaire Response.

She said the increasing use of chemicals in workplaces and industrial processes necessitated stronger safeguards and alignment of Nigeria’s occupational safety framework with international labour standards.

“Our department remains committed to promoting safe, healthy, and well-being workplaces across all sectors of the economy. Effective chemical safety commitment is a critical component of this commitment as chemical hazards continue to pose significant risks to workers’ health, workplace safety, and the environment,” Ogheneovo said.

According to her, as Nigeria advances its industrialisation and economic development agenda, it has become imperative for laws, policies, and workplace practices to align with global best practices.

She noted that the ILO Chemical Hazards Convention provides an important framework for ensuring the safe handling, use, storage, transportation, and disposal of chemicals in workplaces.

“The focus of today’s meeting is to review existing national measures relating to chemical safety and provide a response that accurately reflects the realities and experiences of chemical hazards management in Nigeria. This engagement also offers an opportunity to identify challenges, gaps, and areas for improvement in our national chemical safety framework,” she added.

Ogheneovo particularly highlighted sectors such as food production and processing, where extensive use of chemicals requires robust safeguards to protect workers, consumers, and the environment.

In a goodwill message, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero, represented by Secretary of the Construction Workers Union, Comrade Ibrahim Walama, declared that workplace health and safety remain central to workers’ welfare and must never be treated as a secondary issue.

“It is important to state clearly that the welfare of workers, especially the health and safety of the workplace environment, is not a secondary matter. It is the very centre of workers’ well-being. This principle is not negotiable for us,” he said.

The labour leader recalled the adoption of the Biological Hazards in the Working Environment Convention during the 113th Session of the International Labour Conference in Geneva in 2025, describing it as a landmark victory for workers globally.

He argued that the same momentum should now be directed towards establishing enforceable international standards for managing chemical exposure in workplaces.

Ajaero cited the recent chemical-related tragedy in Ogun State, where workers reportedly lost their lives after exposure to hazardous substances, as evidence of the urgent need for preventive measures.

“We cannot continue building our economy on the graves of workers. Intervention after death is not enough. We must act before the next family receives that devastating news,” he said.

He warned that increasing use of toxic and poorly labelled chemicals across factories, farms, and other workplaces posed serious threats to workers, many of whom are unaware of the risks associated with their jobs.

“Workplaces should be sources of dignity, not destinations for death. Safety is not a cost; it is the first wage every worker deserves,” he added.

Also speaking, Mrs. Joyce Akpaka, Head of Policy, Advocacy and Communications at the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), underscored the growing evidence linking nutrition and chemical exposure in workplaces.

Akpaka explained that workers’ nutritional status can influence how their bodies respond to chemical exposure, while harmful chemicals can also affect nutrient absorption and overall health outcomes.

“A healthy workforce is fundamental to productivity, economic growth, and national development. As workplaces evolve and new risks emerge, there is a growing need to adopt holistic approaches that not only protect workers from harm but also support their overall well-being,” she said.

She commended the Ministry of Labour and Employment for convening the consultation and urged stakeholders to adopt integrated strategies that address both workplace hazards and workers’ health.
“The best way to protect workers is not only to respond to harm when it occurs, but to prevent it from happening,” she stated.

Representing the Director-General of the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), Mr. Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, Acting Senior Executive, Mr. Femi Paul, said employers support stronger protection measures but stressed the need for practical and implementable standards.

Oyerinde noted that changing technologies, new chemicals, and evolving workplace realities require modern regulatory frameworks capable of addressing contemporary occupational safety challenges.

“The protection of workers from chemical exposure is not only a workplace issue but also a business issue. Healthy workers contribute to higher productivity, improved enterprise performance, reduced absenteeism, and sustainable economic growth,” he said.

He urged the ILO and stakeholders to ensure that any future convention takes into account the realities of developing economies, particularly the challenges faced by small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which account for a significant share of employment in Nigeria.

According to him, labour inspection systems, occupational health services, laboratory infrastructure, and technical expertise must be strengthened to support the effective implementation of new standards.

Oyerinde also advocated technical assistance, capacity building, and knowledge transfer for developing countries, while emphasizing the importance of maintaining the ILO’s tripartite approach involving governments, employers, and workers.

Meanwhile, a presentation by GAIN’s Senior Associate on Global Workforce Nutrition highlighted emerging evidence showing a direct relationship between nutrition and chemical hazard exposure.

The presentation revealed that workers can be exposed to harmful chemicals through inhalation, ingestion of contaminated food and water, or skin contact, with the severity of health effects depending on toxicity levels, exposure routes, and individual vulnerability.

The research further indicated that chemical exposures contribute significantly to the rise of non-communicable diseases such as cancer, chronic respiratory illnesses, hypertension, and diabetes.

According to the findings, poor nutrition increases workers’ susceptibility to chemical hazards by weakening the body’s natural defence mechanisms, thereby heightening health risks.

The stakeholders’ consultation forms part of Nigeria’s contribution to the ILO’s ongoing review process on chemical hazards in the workplace, expected to culminate in discussions at future sessions of the International Labour Conference aimed at developing stronger international standards for chemical safety and worker protection.