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From the Local to the Global Arena; the Informal Worker Question

Introduction The topic chosen as the theme of this historic Conference is very significant. It shows the growing concern of thinkers and practitioners with the workers in the informal economy and it shows that this situation is something that cuts across both the national and global arenas. It also points towards the fact that a lot of things remain unresolved about understanding the informal economy, particularly the working class component in it, with the phrase; “the informal worker question”. What I will try to so with this paper is to put in perspective the following: different views on what the informal sector is; some insights into how workers in the informal sector have been/are being organised locally and globally’ policy challenges in addressing the informal worker question for government and other stakeholders; possible challenges for informal workers’ organisations and particularly the emerging Federation of Informal Workers’ Organisations of Nigeria (FIWON). It is imp