Trade Union Density and Collective Bargaining Coverage in Nigeria’s Informal Economy: Assessment of Market Traders in Onitsha

This study assesses trade union density and the reach of collective bargaining arrangements among informal economy workers, focusing on market traders in Onitsha, Anambra State, South East Nigeria. Despite the informal economy employing the majority of Nigeria's working population, trade union and collective bargaining coverage remains largely confined to the formal sector, leaving millions of workers without institutionalized labour protection. A professional applied research design was employed, with data collected from 100 market traders, market association executives, and labour ministry officials through questionnaires and structured interviews. The Informal Economy Labour Relations Framework and recent ILO findings on organizing informal workers provide the conceptual basis. Findings reveal that existing market associations in Onitsha perform quasi-union functions, including fee arbitration, market access regulation, and dispute resolution, but lack the legal recognition, financial resources, and collective bargaining capacity of registered trade unions. The study identifies a significant appetite among traders for formalized collective representation, particularly around issues of market levy disputes, unlawful evictions, and access to credit. Youth and female traders are significantly underrepresented in market association leadership, limiting the advocacy relevance of these bodies. Recommendations include legal frameworks enabling informal trade associations to register as bargaining units, training programs for informal sector association leaders, and expansion of NSITF coverage to informal workers. This study contributes to the professional discourse on labour inclusion and non-standard work governance in Nigeria. Keywords: trade union, collective bargaining, informal economy, market traders, Onitsha