– He is a courageous and principled leader who stands up for workers under difficult conditions. A highly deserving recipient of the Arthur Svensson Prize, says Frode Alfheim, President of Forbundet Styrke and Chair of the Svensson Committee.

Subjected to violence and persecution

Ajaero is President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and has been a key figure in the country’s labour movement for several decades.

Throughout his career, he has been a clear and principled advocate for workers’ rights, democracy and social justice, in a political climate marked by increasing authoritarian tendencies and growing pressure on the trade union movement.

He has been arrested, subjected to violence and threats, and has survived several serious attacks linked to his work. During the Abacha regime in the 1990s, he was imprisoned for his activism. In recent years, he has also been subjected to abduction, brutal assault, surveillance, ethnic harassment and attacks on his home.

– This is a systematic campaign to silence trade union resistance in Nigeria. Yet Ajaero has refused to be silenced and continues to organize workers and fight for justice and dialogue, says Alfheim.

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Contributed to securing a national minimum wage

Under his leadership, the Nigeria Labour Congress has been at the forefront of efforts to resist union-busting, defend civil liberties and oppose policies that weaken workers’ rights. The organisation has also challenged powerful private actors and their practices.

Despite significant pressure, Ajaero has led national mobilisation for trade union rights and helped secure a national minimum wage — an important achievement with major impact for millions of workers.

Drawing global attention to violations of workers’ rights in Nigeria

Ajaero has also played an important role internationally, particularly through his engagement in global trade union forums. His testimony at the launch of the ITUC Global Rights Index in Geneva in 2025 helped draw global attention to systematic violations of workers’ rights in Nigeria.

– The Arthur Svensson Prize recognises those who stand at the forefront of the fight for trade union rights, often at great personal cost. Joe Ajaero embodies these values in an outstanding way, says Alfheim.