The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) will bring together senior judicial officers, policymakers, labour leaders, and international stakeholders at the 4th International Labour Adjudication and Arbitration Forum (I-LAAF) on February 12, 2026, in Abuja.
Speaking from Abuja, NECA’s Director-General, Mr. Adewale Smatt Oyerinde, said that while the programme was originally launched in 2023 as a national dialogue on labour dispute resolution, it has since evolved into an international platform for examining the changing architecture of labour justice. “Over the years, the forum has contributed significantly to jurisprudential discourse and strengthened tripartite engagement on labour adjudication and arbitration,” he added.
The 2026 edition, themed “Access to Labour Justice in a Rapidly Changing World of Work,” will explore the implications of technological disruption, non-standard employment relationships, and emerging forms of work for labour justice systems worldwide.
Delivering the keynote address will be Justice Lelio Bentes Corrêa, President of Brazil’s Superior Labour Court. Other distinguished speakers include the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Bolna’an Dongban-Mensem; the President of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Justice B. B. Bakwaph Kanyip; the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN); the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi; the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero; and the President of the International Organisation of Employers, Jacqueline Mugo.
“Our goal,” Mr. Oyerinde concluded, “is to continue promoting constructive engagement and driving reforms that strengthen the labour justice system, ensuring it meets the evolving needs of employers, workers, and society in a rapidly changing world of work.”
