Section 254C of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria

Section 254C of the Constitution of Nigeria 1999 is about Jurisdiction. It is under CC (The National Industrial Court) of Part I (Federal Courts) of Chapter VII (The Judicature) of the Constitution.

(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 251, 257, 272 and anything contained in this Constitution and in addition to such other jurisdiction as may be conferred upon it by an Act of the National
Assembly, the National Industrial Court shall have and exercise jurisdiction to the exclusion of any other court in civil causes and matters-

(a) relating to or connected with any labour, employment, trade unions, industrial relations and matters arising from workplace, the conditions of service, including health, safety, welfare of labour, employee, worker and matters incidental thereto or connected therewith;

(b) relating to, connected with or arising from Factories Act, Trade Disputes Act, Trade Unions Act, Labour Act, Employees’ Compensation Act or any other Act or Law relating to labour, employment, industrial relations, workplace or any other enactment replacing the Acts or Laws;

(c) relating to or connected with the grant of any order restraining any person or body from taking part in any strike, lock-out or any industrial action, or any conduct in contemplation or in furtherance of a strike, lock-out or any industrial action and matters Connected therewith or related thereto;

(d) relating to or connected with any dispute over the interpretation and application of the provisions of Chapter IV of this Constitution as it relates to any employment, labour, industrial relations, trade unionism, employer’s association or any other matter which the Court has jurisdiction to hear and
determine;

(e) relating to or connected with any dispute arising from national minimum wage for the Federation or any part thereof and matters connected therewith or arising therefrom;

(f) relating to or connected with unfair labour practice or international best practices in labour, employment and industrial relation matters;
(g) relating to or connected with any dispute arising from discrimination or sexual harassment at workplace;

(h) relating to, connected with or pertaining to the application or interpretation of international labour standards;
(i) connected with or related to child labour, child abuse, human trafficking or any matter connected therewith or related thereto;

(j) relating to the determination of any question as to the interpretation and application of any-
(i) collective agreement,
(ii) award or order made by an arbitral tribunal in respect of a trade dispute or a trade union dispute,
(iii) award or judgment of the Court,
(iv) term of settlement of any trade dispute,
(v) trade union dispute or employment dispute as may be recorded in a memorandum of settlement,

(vi) trade union constitution, the constitution of an association of employers or any association relating to employment, labour, industrial relations or work place,
(vii) dispute relating to or connected with any personnel matter arising from any free trade zone in the Federation or any part thereof;

(k) relating to or connected with disputes arising from payment or nonpayment of salaries, wages, pensions, gratuities, allowances, benefits and any other entitlement of any employee, worker,
political or public office holder, judicial officer or any civil or public servant in any part of the Federation and matters incidental thereto;

(I) relating to-
(i) appeals from the decisions of the Registrar of Trade Unions, or matters relating thereto or connected therewith,
(ii) appeals from the decisions or recommendations of any administrative body or commission of enquiry, arising from or connected with employment, labour, trade unions or industrial relations, and
(iii) such other jurisdiction, civil or criminal and whether to the exclusion of any other court or not, as may be conferred upon it by an Act of the National Assembly;

(m) relating to or connected with the registration of collective agreements.

(2) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Constitution, the National Industrial Court shall have the jurisdiction and power to deal with any matter connected with or pertaining to the application of any international convention, treaty or protocol of which Nigeria has ratified relating to labour, employment, workplace, industrial relations or matters connected therewith.