Effects of Informal Sector Employment on Contractual Rights of Workers in Kogi State

Nigeria's informal sector employs the majority of its working population, yet workers in this sector are systematically excluded from the contractual rights and statutory protections that govern formal employment relationships. This study examines the contractual rights of informal sector workers in Kogi State, North Central Nigeria, with a focus on the pottery, mining, and market trading industries dominant in Lokoja, Okene, and Kabba. Using a qualitative research methodology, the study conducts semi-structured interviews with 80 informal workers and 20 labour law practitioners in Kogi State, supplemented by doctrinal analysis of the Labour Act, the National Minimum Wage Act 2019, and Social Insurance Trust Fund regulations. Findings reveal that informal workers lack written employment contracts, receive no statutory benefits, and have no effective recourse when employers breach oral agreements. The study further examines how gender, ethnicity, and migration status intersect to create additional vulnerabilities within Kogi State's informal labour market. The research argues that a new legislative framework specifically targeting informal employment relationships is required to bring Nigeria's labour law into compliance with International Labour Organization standards on informal work. Recommendations include simplified contract registration schemes, portable benefits systems, and informal dispute resolution centres for labour matters in the North Central zone. Keywords: informal sector, employment contracts, labour rights, Kogi State, informal work