Court Orders FG to Register NANTS as Trade Union

On Tuesday, a court in Abuja ruled in favor of the National Association of Non-Teaching Staff of Nigerian Universities (NANTS), ordering the Federal Government to register the union. The judgment was delivered by Justice Osatohanmwen Obaseki, who stated that the government's refusal to register the association was unlawful and inconsistent with the provisions of the Trade Union Act.

The suit, marked NICN/ABJ/345/2023, was filed by Niyi Akinnibi on behalf of NANTS, seeking legal recognition as a trade union. The court mandated the Registrar of Trade Unions and the Minister of Labour and Employment to complete the registration process and issue a certificate of registration to NANTS.

Furthermore, the judgment included a perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from obstructing or denying the association's registration in the future. This ruling is expected to reshape the representation of university workers across Nigeria, as NANTS moves towards operating as an independent union with full legal backing.