National Union of Road Transport Workers

The National Union of Road Transport Workers is an independent Nigerian trade union that serves the interests of transport workers in the road transport sector,[1] by calling for collective obtaining and pushing for social stability for all workers in the transport sector as defined in its constitution.

The union was founded in 1978, when the government of Nigeria merged together the following unions:[2]

  • Amalgamated Union of Lagos Municipal Bus Workers
  • Ance Transport Service Workers' Union
  • Arab Trans Workers' Union
  • Benson Transport Workers' Union
  • Cross River State Transport and Allied Workers' Union
  • H. Safieddine Transport Limited Workers' Union
  • Hope Rising Drivers' Union
  • Ikot Ekpene Divisional Transport Workers' Union
  • Jam Iyyan Alhin Diraibobiw Arewa Northern Transport Workers' Union
  • Mid-West Line and Armels Transport Workers' Union
  • M/S Fawaz (Nigeria) Limited and Allied Workers' Union
  • Rivers State Transport Corporation and Allied Workers' Union
  • Tractors Drivers' Union
  • Trans Continental (Nigeria) Ltd. Workers' Union

The union affiliated to the Nigeria Labour Congress. By 1988, it had 30,000 members, and by 2005, this had grown to 96,000.[3]

The union has its leadership both nationally and at the grassroots. It is led by the Lagos socialite Musiliu Ayinde Akinsanya, better known as MC Oluomo.

The leadership is guided by the General Secretary who continues to encourage and support between members and officials to make the union appear strong and vibrant. The union raises fund through several methods, but the largest of these is through support and willful contribution of union funds. The core functions of the union is to protect the rights of workers in the transport sector. Entry into the union is voluntary, however the dues collected are used to run functions in the union and support members. The youth department under the women league ensure youth programs to educate and sensitise members on good service delivery and customer relation.

The union has been known for controversial practices including corruption, extortion, and nepotism, exposed by the American-British journalist Louis Theroux in his 2010 documentary film.

References
  1. Agbiboa, Daniel E. (2020). "Between cooperation and conflict: the national union of road transport workers in Lagos, Nigeria". Crime, Law and Social Change. doi:10.1007/s10611-019-09878-x.
  2. "Restructuring of trade unions" (PDF). Federal Republic of Nigeria Official Gazette. 8 February 1978. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  3. LeVan, A. Carl; Ukata, Patrick (2018). The Oxford Handbook of Nigerian Politics. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0192526324.
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