Nigeria may soon face another nationwide fuel scarcity as tensions rise between the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Dangote Refinery.
NUPENG has directed its Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) to stop loading petroleum products from Dangote depots starting Monday, September 8, 2025. The decision, announced in a statement signed by NUPENG President, Williams Akporeha, and General Secretary, Afolabi Olawale, accuses Dangote Refinery of anti-labour practices that threaten the rights and livelihoods of its members.
Dispute Over Union Rights
At the heart of the dispute is the refinery’s alleged refusal to allow drivers recruited for its 10,000 compressed natural gas (CNG) trucks to join any trade union.
NUPENG described the restriction as “an affront to the right of association guaranteed under Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, and a violation of international labour laws to which the country is a signatory.”
The union noted that despite multiple appeals, including interventions with the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Dangote has refused to shift ground.
Alleged Recruitment Tactics
NUPENG also alleged that on August 29, MRS Holdings, owned by Dangote’s cousin, Alhaji Sayyu Dantata, began recruiting drivers under the condition that they must sign agreements not to join any union.
The union condemned the move as “modern-day enslavement,” stressing that workers should not be forced to choose between employment and their constitutional right to unionize.
NUPENG Accuses Dangote of Monopoly
In its statement, NUPENG criticized Dangote for allegedly attempting to monopolize distribution and stifle competition in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
“To us, amassing wealth on the basis of depriving workers of a union and a voice amounts to creating filthy wealth. NUPENG will not stand idly by while these billionaires seek to destroy the livelihoods of thousands of workers, including tanker drivers,” the union declared.
It further called on the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to invoke its powers under Section 32 of the Petroleum Industry Act to check what it described as abuse of dominance and restrictive business practices.
Warning of Nationwide Action
NUPENG warned that if the standoff continues, it would mobilize its members across the country.
“Since Alhaji Aliko Dangote and his cousin have resolved to replace all Petroleum Tanker Drivers in Nigeria and there is no one or institution that can stop him, the members of the PTD Branch of NUPENG will from Monday, September 8, start seeking alternative employment and livelihoods,” the statement read.
While appealing to Nigerians for understanding, the union said its action was a necessary struggle against “tyranny and indecency” in the oil and gas industry.