The fragile truce between the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers and $20 billion Dangote Petroleum Refinery has collapsed, sparking a fierce industrial dispute that threatens fuel supply stability and tests the Federal Government’s ability to enforce labor agreements.
NUPENG alleges that the Dangote Group reneged on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed earlier this week, allowing tanker drivers and other workers to freely unionize. The union’s National President, Williams Akporeha, accused Sayyu Aliu Dantata, a cousin of Aliko Dangote, of defying the resolution reached on September 9 at the Department of State Services headquarters in Abuja.
Akporeha claimed that within 48 hours, Dantata ordered drivers to strip NUPENG stickers from their vehicles and forcefully enter the refinery in violation of union loading procedures. “Alhaji Sayyu Aliu Dantata flew over them several times with his helicopter and then called the navy of the Federal Republic to come over ostensibly to crush the union officials,” Akporeha said. The union condemned what it described as Dantata’s “impunity” and warned the Federal Government not to allow security agencies funded by taxpayers to be used against workers.
NUPENG’s leadership placed members on “red alert” for the possible resumption of a nationwide strike, suspended earlier in the week when the MoU was signed. The union also called on the NLC, TUC, civil society organizations, and international labor allies to rise in solidarity. On Thursday evening, NUPENG’s General Secretary, Afolabi Olawale, alleged that the Dangote management was planning to use towing trucks to remove vehicles used by the union to block non-compliant trucks.
The row began when NUPENG accused the refinery of attempting to bar drivers of its 4,000 compressed natural gas trucks from joining any union, describing the move as an affront to freedom of association guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution and international labor conventions. The refinery’s scheme to deploy CNG trucks for fuel distribution, earlier scheduled for August, was delayed due to logistics issues in China but is expected to commence before year-end.
The Nigeria Labour Congress said Dangote refinery’s actions amounted to a “gross violation” of the agreement. NLC’s acting General Secretary Benson Upah said, “We usually take decisions when agreements are violated. But note, the decision to take action rests with the appropriate organs of the Congress.” An NLC executive accused the refinery of treating Nigerian institutions with contempt, claiming its representatives once argued that the refinery was “not in Nigeria” despite benefiting from tax waivers, concessions, and foreign exchange support.
The Ministry of Labour confirmed that it had not received a formal complaint. The Director of Trade Unions at the ministry, Amos Falonipe, said, “We haven’t heard anything from NUPENG, and we also haven’t seen any report indicating that Dangote is reneging. If there are any, we would invite them to find out what happened and take appropriate action.”
The dispute has raised concerns about the stability of Nigeria’s fuel supply and the government’s ability to enforce labor agreements. If the standoff continues, it may lead to fuel scarcity and price hikes, affecting ordinary Nigerians.
