By Roland Ekama
Lekki Free port Terminal (LFT) management and the unions representing its staff — the Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN) and the Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government Owned Companies (SSASCGOC) have signed a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) that provides pay and allowance increases of up to 150 percent for terminal workers.
Signed in Lagos on Friday and replacing the 2024 agreement, the CBA was witnessed by a representative of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
The deal covers adjustments to basic salary, transportation, feeding, housing and other allowances, though increases vary by cadre (some workers will receive 150 percent, others 80 percent or 60 percent depending on their conditions of service).
MWUN President-General Comrade Francis Bunu praised LFT management for its maturity during negotiations and stressed that workers’ welfare must be a priority. “One thing that we do is to put the workers first,” Bunu said, thanking workers, union executives and the management for their cooperation.
He described management and workers as “partners in progress” and said the outcome demonstrates the value of collaboration between terminal operators, trade unions and staff to boost productivity and ensure industrial harmony.
Bunu explained MWUN’s negotiation strategy involved dialogue and presenting the realities facing workers, including the wage disparities between African dockworkers and their international counterparts. “Africa is not where you come and get cheap labour. Africa is where you come and get quality labour,” he said, arguing for competitive remuneration for similar duties.
Comrade Akinola Bodunde, President of SSASCGOC’s Maritime Branch, described the CBA as an improvement on the previous agreement and credited resilience and commitment to workers’ welfare for the breakthrough after months of talks. “There is no CBA that is perfect or 100 percent. It is about negotiations, and we will continue to build on what we have,” he said.
LFT Managing Director and CEO Jedrzej Mierzewsky said he was pleased the negotiations concluded successfully, noting the agreement serves the terminal’s long-term interest rather than a victory for any single party. “We all have a common goal, which is to make LFT the best terminal in West Africa,” he said.
Awanta Fubara, General Manager, Government Relations and Security at LFT, described the deal as a “people’s CBA,” saying its implementation will deliver additional financial benefits to staff and support the terminal’s sustainability.
He also disclosed that preparations for LFT’s second phase are underway and expected to significantly expand operations.
The new CBA is expected to strengthen industrial harmony at LFT while enhancing worker remuneration and conditions as the terminal continues its expansion.
