E-hailing drivers urge FG to implement ILO Convention on employee status, arbitrary deactivation

A Nigerian e-hailing drivers’ union, AUATON, has urged the Federal Government to promptly ratify and implement the provisions of the ILO Convention No. 193 (the Decent Work in the Platform Economy Convention). This was disclosed in a letter to the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, signed by the union’s Founding Secretary, Comrade Ayoade Ibrahim, and obtained by Technext.

Adopted last month in Geneva, Switzerland, the ILO Convention No. 193 is an international treaty agreed upon by the member-nations of the International Labour Organisation (ILO). The convention seeks to guarantee proper employment classification, the fairest possible pay, the right of drivers to have access to how the algorithms that control their work operate, and other provisions.

However, this convention is not active in Nigeria unless it is ratified and integrated into the Nigerian labour laws. It is to this end that the union is calling for urgent government action.

“While Nigeria’s support for the Convention was an important first step, we respectfully urge the Federal Government to now prioritise its ratification and domestic implementation. This is particularly urgent given the significant involvement of young Nigerians in this sector. Millions of platform workers across Nigeria and the broader African continent look to Nigeria for leadership on this critical issue,” the letter reads.

AUATON

Noting that over 2.5 million individuals earn their livelihoods through digital labour platforms, making vital contributions to the national economy, the union said many continue to face challenges such as income instability, limited access to social benefits, inadequate workplace protections, and occupational health and safety risks. 

Thus, ratification of ILO Convention No.193 would reinforce Nigeria’s leadership in advancing workers’ rights and demonstrate that its labour standards are keeping pace with economic and technological changes. It would also provide a robust framework for protecting platform workers while fostering innovation, sustainable economic growth, and a level playing field for all stakeholders.

“Above all, ratification would send a clear and powerful message that the Government of Nigeria values the contributions of platform workers and is committed to upholding their rights, protections, and dignity,” the union says.

ILO Convention and the plight of gig workers

After a year of putting together the framework, the ILO Convention No. 193 (the Decent Work in the Platform Economy Convention) was finally adopted in June 2026. At the core of the convention are seven key requirements. The first is worker classification, an issue that has continued to resurface in e-hailing and gig work markets worldwide.

See also: E-hailing drivers are not independent contractors if they don’t control prices and make decisions – SA union leader

The Convention is essentially imploring signatory countries to ensure proper classification for gig economy workers beyond just the “independent contractor” label the app companies have tagged them. This will prevent the companies from avoiding the responsibilities they owe these workers who make money for them.

See also: Are algorithms by Uber, Bolt and inDrive killing human interactions in e-hailing?

Another provision is Algorithmic Management, which stipulates that drivers should have the right to understand how the algorithms that control their operations work. They should also have the right to challenge the decisions made by these algorithms, like arbitrary deactivations, unfair ratings, unwanted trip destinations, etc.

International Labour Organisation

Another provision is the guarantee of fair pay and excellent working conditions. In Nigeria, drivers have often complained about pricing mechanisms and how fares do not match operational realities. There are also complaints of long working hours, usually in the bid to unlock certain benefits. This provision seeks to address those issues.

Then there is the health and safety provision, which seeks to address the risk to physical wellbeing faced by gig workers. In Africa, incidents of drivers being attacked, robbed and sometimes killed by their passengers have been widely documented. While there have been calls for proper rider profiling, operational realities are hindering implementation.

Other provisions are social protection and welfare packages like health insurance, pension and paid leave; the right to collective bargaining, which grants workers the right to organise themselves into unions and collectively negotiate improved pay and welfare; and the protection of vulnerable groups like women, foreigners, etc.