EAPEAN Strengthens Strategic Partnerships Through Courtesy Visits to Key National Institutions

The National Executive Council of the Employers’ Association for Private Employment Agencies of Nigeria (EAPEAN) has undertaken a series of high-level courtesy visits to critical stakeholders across government, the judiciary, employers’ organisations, and the media, as part of its broader strategy to deepen collaboration, enhance visibility, and promote fair and ethical recruitment practices in Nigeria.

One of the key engagements was a courtesy visit to the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Abuja, where the EAPEAN delegation, led by its President, Chief Amb. Nzeribe Okegbue, PhD, was warmly received by the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi.

The Federal Government delegation comprised top management officials, including the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Salihu Aminu Usman; Directors; the Registrar of Trade Unions; Deputy and Assistant Directors; and Senior Labour Officers from key departments such as Employment and Wages, and Trade Union Services and Industrial Relations (TUSIR).

EAPEAN also held a separate technical meeting with the Director of Employment and Wages and his team to further strengthen operational collaboration. Members of the EAPEAN delegation included the Deputy President, Otunba Tunji Balogun; 1st Vice President, Dcn. Ofe Phillip Orighomisan; 3rd Vice President, Mrs. Gloria Oghifo; and the Executive Secretary, Mr. Jide Afolabi.

During the engagement, discussions focused on consolidating existing partnerships and exploring new areas of cooperation to enhance labour administration, recruitment regulation, and decent work outcomes. In his address, the EAPEAN President expressed appreciation for the Ministry’s sustained support and outlined strategic proposals, including the digitisation of recruiters’ licensing processes, accelerated processing of licence renewals for compliant members, joint labour inspection and monitoring exercises, inclusion of EAPEAN in relevant technical and statutory committees, and stronger collaboration on bilateral labour agreements and labour migration governance.

The Association also reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the Ministry in curbing illegal recruitment and strengthening compliance across the sector. As a gesture of goodwill, EAPEAN presented branded souvenirs to the Honourable Minister, the Permanent Secretary, Directors and other officials.

In furtherance of its stakeholder engagements, EAPEAN paid a courtesy visit to the President of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), Hon. Justice Benedict Kanyip, PhD, OFR, at the Court’s Headquarters in Abuja.

The visit underscored the Association’s recognition of the pivotal role of the judiciary in shaping industrial relations and labour jurisprudence.

The EAPEAN President commended the NICN President for his earlier support to the Association, particularly his participation and scholarly contribution at the official launch of EAPEAN and its inaugural conference.

Discussions during the visit centred on strengthening compliance within the private employment and outsourcing sector, developing frameworks for lawful outsourcing practices, promoting industrial harmony, and exploring areas of collaboration such as capacity building, policy research, judicial-industry dialogue, and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.

The Association also paid a courtesy visit to the Director General of the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), Mr. Wale Smatt Oyerinde, in Abuja. The meeting focused on strategic collaboration between both employer bodies, particularly in encouraging employers to patronise licensed Private Employment Agencies, advancing capacity-building initiatives, and enhancing exposure to regional and international employer organisations.

Both NECA and EAPEAN acknowledged their shared vision and identified areas of mutual interest. Also present at the meeting were the Director, Legal, Regulatory and Taxation, Barr. Thompson Akpabio, and Mr. Femi Paul of the NECA Abuja Office, alongside members of the EAPEAN delegation.

Earlier, EAPEAN had extended its engagements to other critical stakeholders, including the Zonal Director (South-West), the Lagos State Controller of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, and the Head of the Migrant Resource Centre, Lagos.

The Association also visited the leadership of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), including Metro FM, Radio One, and Bond FM, to strengthen media collaboration and public sensitisation on fair recruitment, ethical employment practices, and labour migration governance.

Across all visits, discussions consistently focused on collaboration, policy support, regulatory compliance, fair and ethical recruitment, labour migration governance, and institutional strengthening.

EAPEAN presented specific requests, outlined areas of support to stakeholders, and reaffirmed its readiness to serve as a credible partner in advancing decent work, employment generation, and harmonious industrial relations in Nigeria.

The Association expressed appreciation to National Executive Council members who made sacrifices to participate in the visits, noting that the engagements represent a significant step in positioning EAPEAN as a strategic partner in labour administration and private employment services nationwide.

The Employers Association for Private Employment Agencies of Nigeria (EAPEAN), formerly known as the Human Capital Providers Association of Nigeria (HuCaPAN), is the umbrella body of licensed Private Employment Agencies (PEAs), also referred to as recruiters, in Nigeria.

EAPEAN provides a structured platform for Private Employment Agencies to engage with regulatory authorities, the labour community, and relevant institutions within and outside Nigeria, with the aim of promoting ILO standards and ethical practices in the recruitment, deployment, and management of outsourced personnel.

The Association partners with international organisations such as the ILO and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to strengthen regulation of the PEA industry and entrench ethical and best practices.

Today, EAPEAN is widely recognised as a reputable employers’ association and professional body, playing a critical role in advancing decent work, fair recruitment, and effective labour market governance in Nigeria.