The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) announced that it will begin a strike on Monday, September 8, 2025. In a statement signed by President Williams Akporeha and General Secretary Afolabi Olufemi, the union said the action is a response to what it calls “slavish” working conditions being imposed by Dangote Refinery and its management.
NUPENG alleges that Dangote’s management is trying to undermine workers’ rights by forcing them to join a company‑created association, the Direct Trucking Company Drivers Association (DTCDA), instead of the statutorily recognized union for petroleum tanker drivers. The union argues that any worker denied the right to associate is effectively a slave and urges the public not to support such conditions.
Previously, NUPENG called on its members to stop work over what it described as anti‑labour practices at the refinery. However, some stakeholders, including the Petrol Tanker Drivers and the DTCDA, have opposed the planned strike. NUPENG dismissed the DTCDA as an unauthorized union, claiming it was formed by Alhaji Sayyu Aliu Dantata and Alhaji Aliko Dangote to recruit drivers for their 10,000 CNG trucks.
The strike is expected to begin on Monday, and NUPENG says it will not be swayed by opposition from Dangote‑sponsored groups. The dispute underscores ongoing tensions between labour unions and private companies in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector and could have significant implications for the country’s petroleum industry and broader economy. Attention will now turn to negotiations between NUPENG and Dangote Refinery and the potential impact of the strike in the coming days.
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