Despite the Federal Government’s role in promoting reconciliation through the Ministry of Labour, Employment, and Productivity, negotiations between the leadership of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers and representatives of Dangote Petroleum Refinery continued for several hours on Monday night.
This occurred on Monday as NUPENG officials halted fuel loading operations at petroleum depots across the country in protest of Dangote Petroleum Refinery’s purported ban on worker unionism.
Despite intentions for all parties to sign a Memorandum of Understanding to immediately resolve the protracted conflict, the meeting, which involved all participants and took place in the Ministry of Labour’s conference room, continued for many hours.
NUPENG’s national executives attended the meeting, along with representatives from the Trade Union Congress and the Nigeria Labour Congress. Representatives from the Dangote Group and MRS Petroleum were also in attendance, along with Ogbugo Ukoha, Executive Director, Distribution Systems, Storage, and Retailing Infrastructure of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority.
Nkeiru Onyejeocha, the Minister of State for Labor, and Muhammad Dingyadi, the Minister of Labor, co-chaired the meeting. Due to union representatives’ delayed arrival, the meeting, which was originally planned to begin by 10:00 am on Monday, was delayed and did not begin until a few minutes after 5 pm.
Sources at the conference indicated that following the mediator role played by the labour ministry, resolutions of the Memorandum of Understanding were read for all parties to agree with and sign.
However, additional discussions resulted from officials of the Dangote Group disagreeing with some of the resolutions. As of 10:15 pm on Monday, parties continued talks in a bid to find a durable solution to the problem.
Petroleum tanker drivers on Monday made actual their warning to forgo fuel loading due to the tension between them and the Dangote refinery as a result of the unionisation of tanker drivers. This was despite a plea by the Federal Government that they cancel the idea.
NUPENG members also closed gas stations in some regions of the nation. Obele, Port Harcourt’s Aradel refinery was closed. Delta State’s Kwale Hydrocarbon plant was closed.
Due to claims that the Dangote refinery intended to prevent the drivers hired for its 4,000 trucks from joining the union, NUPENG announced on Friday that it would cease loading fuel this week. Williams Akporeha, the president of NUPENG, said on Sunday that the union had been contacted by the federal government regarding the necessity of preventing the strike. But he was adamant that the industrial action would proceed.
According to information gathered as of Monday morning, the rule prohibiting drivers from lifting fuel was fully followed. One of our journalists verified through checks that operations at gas stations nationwide were halted. To ensure compliance, NUPENG representatives paid a visit to the depots.
Drivers parked their trucks in a number of depots around the nation, particularly in Lagos and Warri, Delta State, in order to await the next instruction about fuel lifting. According to our correspondent, NUPENG officials have closed certain depots to stop vehicles from moving. “100% compliance across the nation,” Williams Akporeha, the National President of NUPENG, informed our correspondent.
A few union members said that Dangote and MRS were planning to replace them by hiring new drivers.
In order to comply with the strike action, workers at various depots in Lagos, including Aiteo, RainOil, Shell+, First Royal, and MAO, Hensmor, One Terminals, Africa Terminals, Integrated Oil and Gas, and others, sealed their gates. A&E, Parker AY Shafa, Matrix, and other Warri depots also joined the strike.
NUPENG officials closed gas outlets in the state capital of Sokoto on Monday. Union representatives were seen shutting down a number of gas stations and stopping the flow of oil tankers on important thoroughfares, such as Gusau Road and other important thoroughfares that connect Sokoto to neighboring states.
According to witnesses, the officials disrupted the city’s fuel supply and distribution by strategically placing barricades and leaves. NUPENG representatives said they received an instruction from their national leaders at midnight to enforce the shutdown.
“All we are doing is following orders,” a representative stated. The abrupt development caused some people to express amazement and dissatisfaction. “I came out early to work and found that most filling stations are closed,” stated Bello Musa, a commercial tricycle operator. Transportation costs will increase if this keeps up, and everyone will be impacted.
Drivers and commuters were concerned about possible increases in transportation costs and wider economic effects if the shutdown continued, which sparked fears of a fuel shortage. Nigerians were not affected by the walkout on Monday, but stakeholders were concerned that a shortage of petroleum would result from the depots’ ongoing closure.
PENGASSAN threatens Dangote
In support of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers’ efforts to unionize tanker drivers and all other workers at the Dangote refinery and its affiliated businesses, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria expressed solidarity.
“On behalf of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, we are writing to express our unwavering solidarity with our ally and sister union, the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, in their ongoing efforts to secure the rights of tanker drivers who are currently being hired at the Dangote refinery,” said Lumumba Okugbawa, the association’s general secretary, in a statement released on Monday.
PENGASSAN said that if the issue is not handled, it might have to take extreme measures. “As a last resort to safeguard the rights and interests of our members, PENGASSAN will be forced to assist in closing the refinery operations if the current situation continues without a resolution,” the association warned.
Despite multiple diplomatic attempts, PENGASSAN accused the refinery’s management of opposing unionization from the beginning. We want to make it known that from the association’s founding, Dangote refinery management has been preventing prospective PENGASSAN and NUPENG members from joining.
“Every diplomatic attempt to influence the company’s management has failed to produce the intended outcome thus far. The statement said, in part, “PENGASSAN is deeply concerned about the growing opposition to unionization at the Dangote refinery, as the ongoing denial of workers’ rights will no longer be tolerated going forward.”
In accordance with Nigerian labor laws and the principles established by the International Labour Organization, the union declared its full support for NUPENG’s demand for complete unionization throughout the refinery and its affiliates.
It proclaimed its unwavering support for NUPENG’s demand that all workers at the refinery and its affiliated businesses be fully unionized, not just those who operate petroleum tankers. “In addition to being a fundamental human right, the ability of workers to organize and engage in collective bargaining is also crucial for advancing ethical labor practices, guaranteeing safety, and maintaining dignity in the workplace,” the statement continued.
In order to prevent disturbance, the union also called for immediate communication from all parties involved. It called on all parties involved to have a prompt, productive conversation in order to resolve the urgent problems.
Failure to acknowledge and uphold workers’ rights to form a union will have repercussions that reach beyond Dangote’s refinery, affecting every aspect of our sector. We stand together to defend the rights of all workers and promise to assist NUPENG in this crucial endeavor. We shall all work together to create a fair and just working environment at Dangote Refinery,” PENGASSAN said.
The Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners, the Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria, and the National President of the Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association of Nigeria have also announced their plans to participate in the industrial auction.
Bennett Korie, the president of NOGASA, said in a statement on Monday that if the Federal Government’s discussion fails, petroleum product suppliers to telecom communications sites, hotels, and construction businesses, among others, should cease shipments by Tuesday at 9 a.m.
When Dangote starts direct supply, Korie said the associations were concerned about the loss of supply opportunities and job losses that could endanger the livelihood of individuals involved along the distribution value chain.
As a result, it is mandated that all oil and gas providers to all building firms, businesses, lodging facilities, and telecommunications sites across the country cease operations as of tomorrow, September 9, 2025, until the issue is settled.
“I repeat, withdraw their services from tomorrow. We resolutely appeal to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to intervene and facilitate a dialogue between downstream sector distribution stakeholders and Dangote Refinery so that we move forward to avoid further destruction of petroleum products to Nigerians,” the NOGASA boss said.
PETROAN President, Billy Gillis-Harry, directed his members to suspend fuel sales by 12 am on Tuesday should the strike continue. However, the Depot and Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria called for the quick resolution of the crisis.
In a statement released on Monday, Olufemi Adewole, Executive Secretary of the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria, said that DAPPMAN was deeply concerned about the growing tension in the downstream oil and gas sector and the potential for an industrial action that could disrupt the country’s petroleum supply and distribution.
