Barely two days after suspending its strike, the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has accused Dangote Refinery of reneging on an agreement recognising workers’ rights to unionise.
In a statement signed by its President, Williams Akporeha, and General Secretary, Afolabi Olawale, the union warned it could resume industrial action. NUPENG alleged that truck drivers, who have long been members of its Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) branch, were ordered to strip union stickers from their vehicles despite a deal reached at a meeting convened by the Department of State Services (DSS).
The meeting, attended by Finance Minister Wale Edun, representatives of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), and Dangote officials, had produced a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The MoU guaranteed employees’ right to unionise, pledged non-victimisation of workers, and required the process to be completed within two weeks.
NUPENG accused security agents of being used to undermine the agreement, urging the Federal Government to prevent “an individual” from overriding national laws with impunity.
The strike was initially triggered by allegations that Dangote Refinery was hiring new drivers on the condition they not join NUPENG — a claim the company dismissed as “cheap blackmail.”
Opened in 2024, the $20bn refinery is Africa’s largest, with a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day. While it has lowered petrol prices and disrupted entrenched players, its dominance has sparked concerns of monopoly.