A faith‑based human rights group, the Muslim Rights Concern, has urged oil‑sector unions to rethink their stance on the Dangote Refinery, highlighting the potential benefits of lower petrol prices for Nigerians. The appeal comes as the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers threatens strike action over a dispute with the refinery regarding worker unionisation.
Prof. Ishaq Akintola, the group’s founder, warned that a strike in the oil sector at this juncture could undermine ongoing economic reforms and trigger fuel shortages. He noted that the opening of the Dangote Refinery has already led to a significant drop in petrol prices, which have fallen from around N1,300 to between N860 and N900, depending on location.
The Muslim Rights Concern has called on the unions to cooperate with the refinery so Nigerians can continue to benefit from these reduced prices. The group cautions that the unions’ demands could encourage greater middle‑man involvement, which would drive prices up, whereas limiting middle‑men influence would keep costs down.
Nigeria’s government has made notable progress in its reform agenda, recording a 3.13 % GDP growth in the first quarter of 2025, up from 2.27 % in the same period in 2024. Inflation has also eased to 21.88 % in July 2025 compared with the previous year. The administration is keen to sustain this momentum and is counting on the cooperation of all stakeholders, including oil‑sector unions.
The Dangote Refinery has attracted international attention. Ethiopia recently signed a $2.5 billion agreement to build a large fertilizer plant, and the United States imported over two million barrels of Dangote’s jet fuel in March 2025. The Nigerian government is determined to protect investments in the oil sector and ensure that the gains from economic reforms are not eroded by aggressive unionism.
The Muslim Rights Concern reminded Nigerians that Dangote’s policy of reducing middle‑men influence will keep prices low. It urged traditional rulers, opinion leaders, and all men of goodwill to persuade the unions to reconsider their position, arguing that safeguarding the refinery’s operations will benefit the Nigerian people and attract further investment to the country.
Comments are closed for this story.