Market Intelligence

Under FIFA regulations, professional football players have two distinct legal routes to terminate contracts for non-payment of salary. While Article 14bis provides a specific threshold of two unpaid monthly salaries, Article 14 offers a broader assessment based on whether the employment relationship has become unreasonable to continue, particularly when clubs engage in patterns of repeated late payments or indirect pressure tactics.

The tension between protecting an employer's trade secrets and an employee's right to earn a livelihood lies at the heart of restraint-of-trade disputes in Nigeria. This article examines how Nigerian courts balance these competing interests when enforcing non-compete clauses, analyzing the landmark Koumoulis decision, recent National Industrial Court jurisprudence, and the statutory framework introduced by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018.

Nigeria's power sector sees significant regulatory developments as NERC issues new guidelines for technical audits of transmission infrastructure, publishes a directory of State Electricity Regulatory Commissions to support the transition to state-level regulation, and the Minister of Power establishes an inter-agency committee to facilitate electricity market decentralisation under the Electricity Act 2023.

An employment reference is an in-depth document or letter that is typically provided by a previous employer or supervisor. It offers invaluable and detailed insight into a professional's work performance, skills, abilities, and suitability for a new job role. Employment reference is a powerful tool for employers to verify the information provided by candidates and make informed hiring decisions. It ensures whatever the candidate has mentioned in their resume is true, and their past employer can back that information.

The National Industrial Court of Nigeria recently addressed whether employers can suspend employees indefinitely without pay, reiterating established legal principles while clarifying the narrow circumstances under which unpaid suspension is permissible. This case provides critical guidance on the boundaries of employer disciplinary powers and the contractual requirements necessary to withhold employee compensation during suspension periods.

The classification of workers as either independent contractors or employees is one of the most consequential legal determinations a foreign company operating in Nigeria must make.