The General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Emmanuel Ugboaja, has died after a protracted illness.
Ugboaja, who served as the fifth General Secretary of the NLC, reportedly died on Thursday, August 27, 2026. Details surrounding his death remained sketchy as of the time of filing this report.
However, Vanguard gathered that NLC President, Joe Ajaero, read a letter from the late General Secretary’s family to members of the Congress’ National Executive Council (NEC), currently meeting in Enugu, Enugu State.
Ugboaja was a veteran trade unionist and lawyer who was appointed NLC General Secretary in August 2019.
Born on May 15, 1966, he obtained a law degree from the University of Calabar in 1987. After spending about four years in private legal practice, he joined the trade union movement in 1993.
The NLC’s historical biography describes Ugboaja as the first Nigerian lawyer to work full-time for a trade union.
His first major position in the labour movement was with the National Union of Chemical, Footwear, Rubber, Leather and Non-Metallic Products Employees (NUCFRLANMPE), an affiliate of the NLC.
He rose through the ranks of the union and served as its General Secretary from 2000 to 2005 before subsequently taking on higher responsibilities within the labour movement.
Ugboaja’s death is expected to be widely mourned across Nigeria’s organised labour movement, where he was regarded as a prominent trade unionist and advocate for workers’ rights.
Credit: Vanguard
