The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) on Sunday vowed to proceed with its planned nationwide strike today, in protest against the Dangote Refinery’s refusal to allow drivers of its newly imported Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) trucks to join trade unions.
In a joint statement, NUPENG President, Williams Akporeha, and General Secretary, Olawale Afolabi, said its Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) branch would suspend lifting petroleum products from depots nationwide. The union dismissed a counter-statement by the Direct Trucking Company Drivers Association (DTCDA), describing it as a creation of the refinery to weaken its influence.
NUPENG accused the refinery of promoting “slavish conditions” in the industry and insisted that workers’ rights to unionise must be protected.
The federal government, however, appealed to the union to suspend the strike. Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Dingyadi, in a statement by ministry spokesperson Patience Onuobia, said he had invited all parties for a conciliation meeting today, September 8, 2025. He warned that shutting down the petroleum sector would cause massive economic losses and hardship for Nigerians, urging both NUPENG and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to give dialogue a chance.
Also at the weekend, the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) announced plans to suspend fuel lifting and dispensing from Tuesday for three days, warning that Dangote’s dominance could push depot owners, marketers, and truck drivers out of business. Its President, Dr. Billy Gillis-Harry, urged President Bola Tinubu and petroleum regulators to intervene to prevent economic disruptions.
Meanwhile, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) distanced itself from a planned strike by its Western Zone, saying the action was unauthorised. IPMAN’s national leadership insisted that Dangote’s distribution model complied with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and would benefit marketers by easing levies and creating jobs.
Civil society group Economic Rights Activists (ERA) condemned the planned strikes by NUPENG, PETROAN, and their allies, describing them as reckless and harmful to ordinary Nigerians. ERA’s Executive Director, Dr. Josiah Inuwa, warned that the action could cripple the economy, accusing the unions of playing into the hands of vested interests seeking to derail Nigeria’s drive for energy self-sufficiency through the Dangote Refinery.
