ABSTRACT

This work explores how the principles advocated in Rerum Novarum can serve as a panacea for addressing the challenges faced in the Nigerian labor market. It aims at shedding light on the devaluation of human dignity within the Nigerian labor market and explores Rerum Novarum, an influential papal encyclical, as a potential panacea for addressing this pressing issue. The article begins with and introduction and then clarifies some important concepts. It discusses the relationship between human dignity and human labour. Next, it proceeds to make an exposition of the Nigerian labour market and discusses challenges confronting human dignity in the labour market. The study gives a brief overview of the encyclical Rerum Novarum and using the document, attempts to address the concerns in the Nigerian labour market. Thus, it proposes respect for the dignity of labour, just distribution of resources, fair wages, safe working conditions, rights of workers, gender equality among others. It is hoped that these recommendations, when properly implemented, will help in upholding the dignity of the human person within the Nigerian labour market.