The Federal Government of Nigeria has urged the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) to reconsider its planned nationwide strike, set to begin on September 8, 2025. The dispute centers around the Dangote Group’s policy, which allegedly restricts its employees from joining unions in the industry.
According to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, the government has intervened in the matter and is calling on all parties to postpone any plans to disrupt the petroleum sector. Dingyadi stated that a strike in the petroleum sector would have severe consequences for the economy, including significant revenue losses and hardship for Nigerians.
The minister has invited all parties for a conciliation meeting on September 8, 2025, and has appealed to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to withdraw its red alert, which urged affiliate unions to prepare for a nationwide strike in support of NUPENG. The NLC had issued the alert in response to the Dangote Group’s alleged anti-worker and anti-union practices.
NUPENG had announced that its members would cease work and seek alternative employment starting September 8, in response to the Dangote Refinery’s alleged efforts to bar its compressed natural gas (CNG) tanker drivers from affiliating with labor unions. However, the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) and the Direct Trucking Company Drivers Association (DTCDA) have refused to participate in the planned strike.
Human rights lawyer Femi Falana has backed NUPENG’s proposed strike, citing the Dangote Group’s policy as a violation of Section 40 of the Nigerian Constitution and several international agreements, including the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention.
The dispute highlights the ongoing tensions between labor unions and employers in Nigeria’s petroleum sector. The government’s intervention aims to preserve stability in the sector, which is critical to the country’s economy. As the situation unfolds, the outcome of the conciliation meeting and the potential impact of the strike on the economy and Nigerians remain to be seen.
