Former Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Ali Ndume, has issued a stern warning to labour unions and petroleum marketers, accusing them of ganging up to undermine and demonise the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
The lawmakerโs intervention came amid a simmering dispute between the refineryโs management, organised labour, and downstream operators, threatening to destabilise the nascent gains in Nigeriaโs domestic petroleum sector.
In a statement released in Abuja on Wednesday, Ndume expressed deep concern over what he described as a coordinated effort to tarnish the reputation of the refinery, which began operations only last year.
The conflict pits the refinery against the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN).
NUPENG had recently shut down depots following allegations that the refinery was refusing to allow its truck drivers to unionise as required by the Trade Union Act. Although the Department of State Services intervened to broker a temporary resolution, tensions have continued to brew.
At the same time, DAPPMAN has raised concerns over alleged discriminatory pricing, accusing the refinery of offering cheaper rates to international buyers than to local marketersโa claim that has further strained relations.
But Senator Ndume, who represents Borno South, dismissed these grievances as part of a โgang-upโ motivated by profit protection and resistance to change. He urged the unions and marketers to prioritise constructive dialogue over public attacks.
โIt is disappointing to see some stakeholders resort to a poisonous media narrative to paint Dangote in a bad light in the eyes of Nigerians and the international community. I urge NUPENG, PENGASSAN, and all concerned stakeholders to engage in constructive dialogue with Dangote rather than inciting division and undue sensationalism in the media,โ Ndume stated.
He emphasised that the ongoing tension only hurts ordinary Nigerians, who bear the brunt of supply disruptions and price instability. โOur common goal should be to balance labour rights with the imperatives of national development and not put ordinary citizens at the receiving end of a needless power tussle,โ he added.
Reflecting on the history of Nigeriaโs refining challenges, Ndume questioned the sincerity of some industry players now criticising Dangote. He recalled that numerous licences were issued in the past for private refineries, including in 2002 and 2007, with little or nothing to show for them.
โBefore Dangote took the risk to build his refinery, previous administrations had granted licenses to many Nigerians. What did they do with it? Some of them only cashed in on the incentives of crude oil allocation. Those parading themselves as fuel importers today didnโt seize the initiative to come together to build refineries,โ he asserted.
Ndume also challenged the notion that the Dangote Refinery is creating a monopoly, especially within a deregulated market. โIt is wrong to talk about monopoly in a deregulated industry. There are no deliberate bottlenecks against anyone, and no player has been accorded a special concession to the detriment of others,โ he argued.
He called on regulators, including the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, to step in and ensure that the current disagreements do not escalate or disrupt the distribution of petroleum products.
As Africaโs largest oil producer continues to struggle with refining sufficiency, the Dangote facility represents one of the most significant private investments in the continentโs energy landscape. How the current conflict is managed may well determine not only the marketโs stability but also Nigeriaโs ability to attract future large-scale investments in critical sectors.
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