Employment Relations and Productivity in the Nigerian Mining Sector: A Study of Dangote Industries and African Industries Group

This study examines the relationship between employment relations management and worker productivity in the Nigerian mining and extractive materials sector, focusing on operations by Dangote Industries and African Industries Group in Kogi and Niger States, North Central Nigeria. The mining sector is characterised by hazardous work conditions, complex labour arrangements, and significant exposure to industrial disputes that can disrupt production cycles and damage investor confidence. The study employs a mixed-methods design, combining survey questionnaire data from 180 mine workers and supervisors with qualitative interview data from five HR and industrial relations managers. The Unitarist and Pluralist Frames of Reference in employment relations provide the theoretical analytical lens. Findings reveal that operations characterised by proactive union engagement, transparent grievance handling, and competitive safety-adjusted compensation packages demonstrate significantly higher productivity rates and fewer industrial disruptions. The study also identifies contractor workforce management as a persistent employment relations vulnerability, with contract workers reporting significantly lower welfare provision and higher grievance levels than permanent employees. Recommendations include formalising employment relations policies that cover contractor and subcontractor workforces, establishing joint labour-management productivity committees, and investing in industrial relations training for line supervisors. This research contributes to the scant HRM literature on employment relations in Nigeria's solid minerals sector. Keywords: Employment Relations, Mining Sector, Productivity, Industrial Relations, North Central Nigeria.