NUPENG Declares Nationwide Strike against Dangote, Fuel Scarcity Looms
- The Nigerian downstream petroleum industry will be thrown into labour unrest again beginning Monday, September 8, 2025
- The development comes as the NUPENG is protesting the exclusion of its members from the proposed nationwide fuel distribution by Dangote
- NUPENG disclosed that Dangote had asked drivers who applied to drive the 4,000 CNG trucks to sign an undertaking against union membership
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Legit.ng’s Pascal Oparada has reported on tech, energy, stocks, investment and the economy for over a decade.
The Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has announced that its members will begin a nationwide strike from Monday, September 8, 2025.
The action is a protest against what NUPENG describes as anti-union labour practices linked to the deployment of the CNG trucks by the Dangote Refinery.
Source: Getty Images
NUPENG explains the reason for the strike
NUPENG’s decision was conveyed in a statement signed by its national president, Prince Williams Akporeha, and General Secretary, Afolabi Olawale.
According to the letter, NUPENG disclosed that on June 14, 2025, Aliko Dangote, Chairman of the Dangote Group, announced plans to import 4,000 CNG trucks, which were later increased to 10,000 for nationwide fuel distribution.
NUPENG revealed that while the development was initially appealing to its members, it raised questions among stakeholders, such as the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), about its wider implications.
The union disclosed that the two labour unions had requested to meet with Dangote, and on June 23, 2025, Dayyu Dantata, represented the Nigerian billionaire.
NUPENG protests exclusion of members
In the meeting, the unions revealed that they had been informed that the trucks would be operated under a new arrangement, which excluded the trade unions.
NUPENG said that the recruitment of drivers for the trucks began on August 29, 2025, and that the application form reportedly asked members to sign undertakings not to join existing unions in the oil and gas sector.
The union described the development as contrary to labour rights.
The statement said:
“The recruitment being carried out on the condition of not joining existing unions is a matter of serious concern to us. This requirement does not align with Nigeria’s Constitution, labour legislation, or international conventions on freedom of association.”
The strike is constitutional
The union cited parts of the Constitution, which guarantee the right to freedom of association and the Labour Act, which prohibits punishing workers for union membership.
NUPENG also cited Nigeria’s ratification of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention on the Freedom of Association, stating that the convention is binding and enforceable under the Constitution.
The union requested that the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) utilise its powers under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) to promote fair competition and prevent restrictive practices in the sector.
Nigerians panic over looming fuel scarcity
Vanguard reports that NUPENG said that repeated efforts to engage government agencies and companies were rebuffed.
It stated that after exhausting all avenues for dialogue, it is left with no option but to begin the nationwide industrial action.
It assured Nigerians that the strike was not to create hardship but to safeguard workers’ rights and ensure a fair and competitive petroleum sector.
Source: Getty Images
Experts have asked Nigerians to brace for higher petroleum products, as fuel may be scarce nationwide
Dangote refinery shuts down petrol unit
Legit.ng earlier reported that Nigeria’s 650,000-barrels-per-day Dangote refinery temporarily shut down its petrol-producing unit following a technical fault.
The shutdown, which began on August 29, is expected to last at least two weeks as engineers work to fix a catalyst leak in the 204,000 bpd Residue Fluidised Catalytic Cracking Unit (RFCCU).
Industry tracker IIR Energy confirmed the development, while two other sources in the oil sector also verified the downtime but requested anonymity.
Source: Legit.ng
