FROM COMMITMENT TO REALITY: CAN AFRICA’S NAPS DELIVER FOR WORKERS?

Momentum Is Building, But Challenges Remain:

The discussion highlighted that Africa is starting to gain traction on BHRs. Countries like Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Ghana, and Liberia have already adopted NAPs, while others—including Mozambique, Ethiopia, and Tanzania—are making steady progress. This momentum is encouraging, signaling a willingness to align economic growth with respect for human rights.

Development partners and the international community are also stepping up. Initiatives like the European Union’s Corporate Sustainability Due DiligenceDirective (EU CSDDD) and the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act are creating incentives for African businesses to adopt responsible practices, especially in sectors integrated into global supply chains. These efforts offer a rare opportunity to reshape the way business is done across the continent.

From Policy to Practice: The Real Test

Yet, the discussion made it clear that policy progress has not yet translated into real change for workers. While NAPs exist on paper, implementation remainsweak. Transparency is limited, and key stakeholders—including trade unions—are often sidelined. Trade unions, who represent the people most affected by workplaceviolations, are frequently involved in a superficial or symbolic way, without real influence over outcomes. Panelists emphasized that for NAPs to matter, unions need to be full partners, contributing their expertise, networks, and insights to both the design and monitoring of policies. After all, workers are not just statistics—they are people whose lives are shaped by these decisions.

The Politics Behind the Process:

The NAP process is increasingly being treated as a technical exercise, stripped of meaningful political debate and dialogue among stakeholders. This depoliticization risks turning it into a donor-pleasing formality, rather than a tool for justice. Governments and business interests largelycontrol the agenda, and without pressure from unions and civil society, NAPs can remain toothless documents. For workers, however, this is much more than a policy discussion. Every day, labor rights violations affect their safety, wages, and dignity. Trade unions have a real stake in pushing NAPs to work—not just for compliance, but for power, accountability,and meaningful change. 

The panel concluded with a call to move beyond words and frameworks to tangible results. Africa’s economic transformation must be anchored in human rights,fair labor practices, and social justice. Participants affirmed that true progress is not just about economic growth, but about ensuring that growth uplifts workers, protects communities, and preserves dignity for all.