A potential scarcity of petroleum products is looming in Nigeria as the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) continues its strike. The union’s action follows a breakdown in negotiations between the federal government, organised labour, and the Dangote Group on Monday in Abuja. NUPENG officials have stopped fuel‑loading activities across depots nationwide, protesting what they describe as a ban on workers’ unionism by Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
The strike began after talks hit a roadblock when Sayyu Dantata, representing the Dangote Group, walked out on Labour Minister Muhammad Dingyadi and the labour delegation. The meeting, co‑chaired by Dingyadi and Minister of State for Labour Nkeiru Onyejeocha, was intended to resolve issues related to the unionisation of Dangote Refinery workers. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) said Dantata’s actions were a deliberate attempt to frustrate negotiations.
NUPENG President Williams Akporeha stated that the union’s action is in defence of Nigerian workers, accusing Dangote of attempting to “enslave” employees. Earlier, the NLC had warned the federal government and Dangote of “crude and dangerous anti‑union practices, monopolistic agenda, and indecent industrial‑relations strategies” at Dangote companies. The NLC claims these policies violate Section 40 of the Constitution, the Labour Act, and International Labour Organisation conventions ratified by Nigeria.
The strike has resulted in full compliance with the no‑fuel‑lifting directive, and product scarcity is beginning to spread across Rivers State and other parts of the country. Sources at Lagos depots confirmed that loading has stopped and gates are shut at several sites. Akporeha reported “100 percent compliance” nationwide, raising concerns that the continuous shutdown of depots could lead to a fuel shortage.
The federal government reached out to the union to avert the strike, but NUPENG insisted that the industrial action will continue. The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has also opposed market monopoly, with its members planning to suspend the lifting and dispensing of petroleum products. As the strike persists, stakeholders fear that the effects of scarcity will soon be felt by Nigerians, underscoring the need for a swift resolution to the dispute.
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