CONTEXTUALISING UNEMPLOYMENT THROUGH REGURGITATED LEGAL NORMS

This article focused on the concept of unemployment within the context of legal norms on job protection. It considered unemployment as a major labour market risk, and distilled it from the closely-related concept of underemployment. It also underscored the adverse impact of unemployment on both the global and domestic labour workspaces against the backdrop of data from the International Labour Organisation and the National Bureau of Statistics. In articulating spectrum of options in addressing the unemployment challenge and entrenching job security in Nigeria, it looked beyond existing constitutional huddles and provided strong base for judicial activism as leeway for the National Industrial Court of Nigeria to efficiently and responsively wade into the specific challenge of wanton termination of employment through the application of international labour standards and global best practices. The article indicated the modes in which labour legislation influence and impact on unemployment rate, and recommended, inter alia, that labour regulations be recouched in a manner that prevents job loss through wanton termination of employment through the application of international labour standards and global best practices on termination of employment by the National Industrial Court of Nigeria. The article concluded with the need to remodel laws, policies and programmes aimed at addressing existing gaps in employment protection regime and provide relief to the unemployed segment of the labour force population.