Local Miners and Precarious Working Conditions: The Nigerian Workers of Chinese Firms in Nigeria

Poor working conditions typify precarious employment, the most problematic labour issue recently, encompassing powerlessness to execute workplace rights, low wages, and job insecurity. There is a growing concern about the conditions of local miners in most Chinese-owned gold mining sites in Nigeria. This study adopted a qualitative approach to examine the working conditions of local miners employed by Chinese-owned mining firms in southwestern Nigeria. Data was collated through in-depth interviews of twenty workers in Osun state, which were transcribed and analysed. Oppression and no right to representation are among the unwholesome practices reported by the workers. Findings revealed that traditional rulers are collaborators in the rent-seeking and royalty claims. Furthermore, there are no prevention and coping strategies to deal with health-related issues associated with mining activities, alongside the lack of a union and willingness to enforce labour laws.