The fragile truce between the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the $20bn Dangote Petroleum Refinery has collapsed, sparking a fresh industrial dispute that could plunge the country into another round of fuel scarcity.
The row, which began over tanker drivers’ right to unionise, has escalated despite a government-brokered Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on September 9. NUPENG accuses refinery executives, led by Sayyu Aliu Dantata, of flouting the agreement within 48 hours by ordering drivers to remove union insignia and blocking recognised loading procedures.
NUPENG President Williams Akporeha condemned what he described as “impunity,” warning that attempts to use security agencies against workers would be resisted. The union has placed its members on “red alert” for a possible nationwide strike.
Fuel marketers, under PETROAN, urged both sides to honour the truce, while the Nigeria Labour Congress branded Dangote’s actions a “gross violation” of the agreement and accused the refinery of treating national institutions with contempt.
The Federal Government, meanwhile, has been criticised for failing to enforce agreements it helped broker. Analysts warn that if Dangote can defy such deals with impunity, industrial peace and state authority risk serious erosion.
In a detailed rebuttal, Dangote Refinery dismissed NUPENG’s claims as “wholly inaccurate,” insisting union membership remains voluntary. It highlighted its CNG truck project, projected to create over 60,000 jobs with enhanced pay and benefits, while accusing the union of “economic sabotage.”
As NUPENG threatens to resume industrial action from September 15, Nigerians fear the dispute could cripple fuel distribution, triggering scarcity and price hikes across the country.