Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) across Nigeria have publicly rejected the strike planned by the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), distancing themselves from the industrial action set to begin on September 8, 2025.
NUPENG had threatened a nationwide strike in protest against alleged attempts by Dangote Refinery to block its compressed natural gas (CNG) tanker drivers from joining labour unions. The union warned that its members might begin seeking alternative employment if the issue remained unresolved.
However, the PTD, a critical component of the union’s workforce, described the strike notice as “insensitive, callous, and unacceptable.” Representatives from the Warri zone, Blessing Dafinone, and Port Harcourt zone, Joseph Dagogo-Jack, in a joint statement on Sunday, called on all tanker drivers nationwide to ignore the directive.
“This is a clarion call to all Petroleum Tanker Drivers across Nigeria to ignore the strike notice issued by NUPENG leadership,” the statement read. “Industrial action should not be declared recklessly without exhausting dialogue and negotiations.”
The PTD leaders criticized NUPENG’s leadership for what they called a self-serving agenda that could threaten national economic stability. They emphasized that union membership remains voluntary under global labour standards and supported Dangote Refinery’s deployment of 4,000 CNG-powered trucks, calling it a step forward for Nigeria’s fuel distribution system.
“Negotiations and symbiotic relationships cannot be achieved through violence, threats, or arrogance,” the group added. “Nigeria is governed under a constitutional democracy, and these union leaders should take note of that very carefully.”
The tanker drivers urged the public and stakeholders in the oil and gas industry to disregard the strike notice, stressing that NUPENG’s approach risked undermining peace and harmony in the sector.