NUPENG Calls Off Strike After Dangote Agrees To Workers Unionisation

The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers has suspended its two-day strike after reaching an agreement with the Dangote Group and the Federal Government.

The decision came on Tuesday evening following a meeting in Abuja that brought together officials of the labour ministry, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, and representatives of oil and gas unions.

The union had stopped fuel loading across the country after accusing the Dangote refinery of preventing its truck drivers from joining recognised labour unions. The industrial action led to the closure of depots and filling stations in many states, sparking long queues, price hikes, and panic buying in major cities.

At the meeting, the management of the refinery agreed to allow workers to join existing unions in line with Nigerian labour laws. Both parties signed a memorandum of understanding which stated that the process of unionisation would begin immediately and be completed within two weeks. It was also agreed that no worker would be victimised for joining a union and that no alternative union would be created for employees of the refinery and petrochemicals arm.

The strike had already caused heavy disruptions before the suspension. In Kaduna, Cross River, Enugu, Anambra and Gombe, filling stations shut down, commuters were stranded, and transport fares rose sharply. Motorists in some areas paid up to N1,500 per litre at black-market points, while many commercial drivers doubled their fares. In Lagos and Warri, depots were locked and trucks parked as union members enforced compliance.

The refinery, which plans to use 4,000 CNG-powered trucks for direct fuel distribution, had faced resistance from the Petroleum Tanker Drivers branch of NUPENG, which accused the company of anti-labour practices. The union claimed the refinery wanted to replace unionised drivers with a separate association under its control.

With the agreement now in place, fuel loading is expected to resume from Wednesday. The development is expected to bring relief to Nigerians already battling with the effects of the brief shutdown, as stakeholders monitor compliance with the unionisation deal over the next two weeks.