In the corporate corridors of many private organizations across Nigeria, a subtle but potent weapon of exploitation continues to thrive cloaked in the ordinary language of employment contracts. The phrase, “and every other duty or responsibility that may be assigned by management from time to time,” has become a convenient gateway to workplace abuse. Far from being a harmless catch-all, this clause has evolved into a legal cover for overburdening employees, assigning unrelated tasks, and stretching job roles beyond ethical and professional limits.
What makes this practice particularly dangerous is its ability to appear legitimate. On paper, it reads as a flexible provision, allowing management to adapt roles as necessary. But in practice, it often strips employees of structure, predictability, and the protection that comes from defined responsibilities. A person hired for a technical or administrative role may soon find themselves performing errands, handling personal tasks for executives, or doing menial work entirely unrelated to their job description. The excuse is always the same, the clause in the contract permits it.
This misuse of employment terms is a direct assault on the professionalism and dignity of labour. Employment is not charity, nor is it a favour granted by the employer. It is a formal exchange: skill, time, and commitment in return for fair compensation and a clearly defined scope of work. Anything outside this balance borders on exploitation. The insertion of such an open-ended clause shifts that balance entirely in favour of the employer, placing the employee at the mercy of vague and ever-expanding expectations. It is exploitation, dressed in legal language.
The reality for many Nigerian workers is that this clause is not negotiated, it is imposed. With the job market saturated and unemployment rates high, most applicants do not feel they have the power to challenge contract terms. They sign out of necessity, not agreement. For them, rejecting a contract with such an exploitative clause could mean continued joblessness. This desperation is routinely weaponized by employers who fully understand the leverage they hold. In essence, the clause becomes a licence to stretch employees thin under the pretense of operational flexibility.
The emotional and psychological toll this breeds is significant. Workers live under constant anxiety, unsure of what the next day might bring. Tasks outside their expertise, long hours, unreasonable expectations, and personal humiliation become normalized. Many remain silent, fearing retaliation or dismissal. Over time, the workplace shifts from a platform for professional growth to a space of silent suffering. This is not employment; it is structured servitude legitimized by ink and a signature.
It is imperative that the Nigerian Ministry of Labour and Employment, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), and professional bodies like the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) begin to take this issue seriously. The continued acceptance of vague, catch-all clauses in employment contracts erodes the integrity of the labour market and betrays the principles of fair work. Contracts must be specific, responsibilities well defined, and deviations from agreed duties must be based on mutual consent—not unilateral imposition by management under the shield of a loosely worded clause.
There is also an urgent need for increased awareness among job seekers and workers. Many do not understand the implications of what they are signing. Others do, but feel helpless to resist. Legal and civil society organizations who are not guilty of this aberration to humanity must step up their efforts in educating the workforce about their rights and providing support to those facing workplace abuse. Empowerment through awareness is one of the few tools available to combat this widespread manipulation.
Employment should be a path to dignity, not a trap of endless servitude. That a person is seeking a job does not mean their worth is negotiable. The normalization of assigning unrelated duties under the guise of “any other responsibility” is a violation of professional ethics and a calculated abuse of power. The clause may be legal in form, but it is unethical in substance. If we are serious about decent work in Nigeria, this practice must be confronted head-on.
Work must be based on mutual respect, not fear. Contracts must reflect fairness, not control. And employers must be held accountable when they deliberately blur boundaries to exploit the vulnerable. The time to end this legalized abuse is now.
Samuel Jekeli writes from Center for Social Justice
