By Our Correspondent
In a dramatic twist to Nigeria’s fuel supply crisis, the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) on Tuesday suspended its nationwide strike after extracting a landmark concession from Dangote Refinery: the recognition of workers’ rights to unionise.
The truce followed marathon negotiations brokered by the Department of State Services (DSS), with Finance Minister Wale Edun, top Labour leaders, and Dangote Group executives locked in tense, closed-door sessions in Abuja.
At the heart of the agreement was a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that compelled the refinery to respect extant labour laws, granting employees of Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals the freedom to join trade unions without intimidation.
According to the MoU, the process of unionisation will begin immediately and must be completed within two weeks—between September 9 and 22, 2025. The document also barred the refinery from setting up rival or “puppet” unions, with guarantees that no employee would face victimisation for supporting the strike.
The agreement was signed by Sayyu Dantata, Managing Director of Dangote Group, alongside regulatory and union leaders including Benson Upah (NLC), Nuhu Toro (TUC), NUPENG President Akporeha Williams, and others. The Ministry of Labour was represented by Amos Falonipe.
IPMAN Joins in Strike Suspension
In a parallel development, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Western Zone, also called off its strike.
In a statement, IPMAN chairman Oyewọle Akanni praised the “unity and resilience” of members, announcing that the suspension took effect immediately following assurances that addressed NUPENG’s grievances against alleged anti-labour and monopolistic practices by the Dangote Group.
“We have decided to call off the strike action effective today, 9th September. This decision comes after careful consideration and commitments from Dangote Group to respect fair labour practices and competitive market values,” Akanni declared, urging members to return to operations without delay.
How the Crisis Began
NUPENG had last week declared a nationwide strike to protest what it described as anti-union labour practices at the Dangote Refinery, particularly linked to the company’s deployment of newly imported Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) trucks for direct distribution of petroleum products.
The move, unions argued, threatened to sideline independent transporters, inflate monopolistic control, and suppress workers’ bargaining rights.
On Sunday, the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) threw its weight behind NUPENG, warning that Dangote’s free distribution strategy was unsustainable and could eliminate over 30,000 independent trucks from Nigeria’s oil supply chain.
Adding fuel to the controversy, NLC President Joe Ajaero accused the Dangote Group of “exploiting Nigerian workers while trampling on their constitutional rights.”
The Dangote Refinery, touted as Africa’s largest and Nigeria’s fuel game-changer, has been under the spotlight for its market dominance and strategic disruptions in the downstream oil sector.
Tuesday’s agreement, however, marks a significant victory for organised labour, reinforcing that even the continent’s biggest refinery cannot sidestep Nigeria’s labour laws.
With the suspension of strikes by both NUPENG and IPMAN, normal fuel distribution is expected to resume, easing fears of nationwide scarcity and economic paralysis.
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