Fuel Strike Looms as Unions, Dangote Refinery Clash Intensify

A nationwide strike that threatens severe disruption to Nigeria’s fuel supply is set to begin on Monday following a major dispute between the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.

The crisis centres on the refinery’s plan to import 4,000 compressed natural gas-powered trucks for direct fuel distribution to retailers.

The union alleges that this new scheme is a direct threat to the livelihoods of its Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) branch members and constitutes serious anti-labour practices.

In a statement jointly signed by its President, Williams Akporeha, and General Secretary, Afolabi Olawale, on Friday, NUPENG announced its members would stop all fuel loading activities across the country from Monday, September 8, if the situation remains unresolved.

The union specifically accused the refinery’s owner, Aliko Dangote, of insisting that drivers for the new imported trucks would not be allowed to join any union.

NUPENG described this decision as “an affront on freedom of association guaranteed under the 1999 Constitution, and a breach of international labour conventions to which Nigeria is a signatory.”

The union revealed it had held several meetings with the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners to persuade Dangote to reconsider, but claimed its appeals were ignored.

The situation escalated last Friday when MRS, a company owned by Dangote’s cousin, Sayyu Aliu Dantata, reportedly began recruiting drivers for the CNG trucks. NUPENG claims these new drivers were compelled “to sign undertakings not to belong to any oil and gas union.” The union stated it “could not stand by while jobs were being eroded.”

In response to the looming crisis, oil marketing associations have urgently called for government intervention. The Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) described the impending strike as a “looming danger” that must be prevented.

PETROAN’s National President, Billy Gillis-Harry, said, “PETROAN’s position is that we are calling on the President, the authority chief of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, to mediate and ensure that the strike action does not take place as planned.” He argued that a single company should not dominate the value chain and expressed support for the union’s concerns, stating, “the worries of NUPENG and PTD are correct.”

Similarly, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) stated it was working towards reconciliation. Its National President, Abubakar Maigandi, said, “We are still appealing to the NUPENG members and Dangote to see how they can reconcile their differences.” He added that with work resuming fully on Monday, they would continue efforts to “talk to the tanker drivers.”

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has thrown its full weight behind the proposed industrial action. In a statement on Saturday, NLC President Joe Ajaero said Labour had examined NUPENG’s petition and described the Dangote Group’s practices as “crude and dangerous.”

The NLC alleged that similar complaints had been raised by other unions across the Dangote Group’s operations, including cement, sugar, and flour, suggesting a broader pattern of behaviour.

“The revelations contained in NUPENG’s statement represent not just an attack on petroleum workers but a full-blown declaration of war against trade unionism and the principle of decent work,” the congress said.

It accused the petroleum company of paying “some of the lowest wages in the oil and gas sector,” denying employees their right to join trade unions, and promoting “casualisation and unsafe working conditions.” The NLC further criticised the group’s alleged preference for hiring foreign nationals over qualified Nigerians.

The congress announced it was placing “Nigerian workers and unions on red alert” and would fully support NUPENG’s industrial action if the refinery did not relent. “The attack on NUPENG is an attack on us all. Nigerian workers are not slaves and cannot be serially abused without consequences,” the NLC statement warned.

Adding to the pressure, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) Western Zone affirmed its readiness to join the shutdown. Its Chairman, Oyewole Akanni, said the decision followed a zonal council meeting and that the strike was “in solidarity with NUPENG over job security concerns for petroleum tanker drivers.”

He warned that Dangote Refinery and MRS Energy’s move into distribution could jeopardise “over 4,000 trucks operated by IPMAN members and threaten thousands of jobs.” He also argued the move “negates the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act, which prohibits a company refining crude oil from directly engaging in product distribution.”

However, not all driver groups support the action. The Direct Trucking Company Drivers Association (DTCDA) rejected the planned strike. In a statement signed by its National President, Enoch Kanawa, the group clarified it represents drivers in both wet and dry cargo sectors, including those working for Dangote and MRS.

The association stressed its commitment to driver welfare but maintained it would not interfere with other organisations’ operations. “Any person who is licensed to drive a heavy-duty vehicle should be mature enough, physically, mentally, and emotionally, to discern which organisation can best serve his or her own interests,” Kanawa said.