Disengaged employees urge Niger State Government to intervene as unpaid salary and entitlement claims spark concern over worker welfare
Former employees of Niger Foods, a company owned by the Niger State Government, have accused the management of failing to pay several months of salaries and overtime allowances before allegedly disengaging workers without adequate notice.
According to reports, the affected workers claim they were suddenly laid off amid ongoing financial challenges facing the company, leaving many staff members stranded without outstanding payments owed to them. Some employees reportedly stated that salary arrears accumulated over months, while overtime claims and other entitlements also remained unsettled at the time their appointments were terminated.
The disengaged workers are calling on the State Government and relevant authorities to urgently intervene, alleging that the abrupt layoffs have worsened economic hardship for many families already struggling with rising living costs. They argue that despite their contributions to the company’s operations, management allegedly failed to communicate clearly about the firm’s financial situation before the layoffs occurred.
However, state authorities have previously dismissed similar claims of mass layoffs and operational distress in state-linked enterprises, insisting that agricultural and food production investments remain active in the State. As of the time of filing this report, Niger Foods management has not publicly issued a detailed response addressing the specific allegations raised by former employees.
The development has sparked wider conversations about worker welfare, transparency in state-owned enterprises, and the need for labour protections in Nigeria’s public-sector-backed companies.
Industry observers say the situation highlights ongoing concerns over salary arrears and job security in government-affiliated institutions, especially within sectors linked to agriculture and food production, which are central to food security and employment generation across the country.
Read also Niger Foods Workers Accuse Niger State-Owned Company of Unpaid Salaries, Overtime Debts
