Petrol Station Workers Demand Health Insurance From IPMAN For Poorly-Paid Colleagues
- A group of labour advocates has urged IPMAN to provide health insurance for petrol station workers nationwide
- The call follows NNPCL’s launch of a health insurance scheme for its retail outlet workers across the country, reducing the workers' vulnerability
- The group says petrol station workers face daily health and safety risks, including toxic fumes and fire hazards
Oluwatobi Odeyinka is a business editor at Legit.ng, covering energy, the money market, technology and macroeconomic trends in Nigeria.
The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has been urged to introduce health insurance coverage for petrol station workers employed by its members across the country.
The call followed the recent launch of a health insurance scheme by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) for workers in its retail outlets nationwide, PUNCH reported.
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According to a statement issued on Sunday in Kaduna, the Convener of the Concerned Petrol Station Workers, Ibrahim Zango, said IPMAN should adopt a similar initiative to protect the health and welfare of workers in the downstream petroleum sector.
Zango described NNPCL’s move as timely and commendable, noting that it had set a benchmark that independent marketers should follow.
Petrol station workers face risks
He said petrol station workers, including pump attendants, cleaners, security personnel, managers and other staff, face daily health and safety risks that make access to health insurance critical.
“These workers are exposed to toxic fumes, fire hazards and long working hours. Their health should be treated as a priority, not an afterthought,” he said.
Zango stressed that workers’ access to healthcare should not depend on whether they are employed by NNPCL or independent marketers.
According to him, health insurance should be regarded as a fundamental right rather than a luxury, especially in a sector with high occupational risks.
“Their lives are equally important, and their contributions keep the sector running. Access to health insurance is not a privilege; it is a basic necessity that every worker is entitled to,” he said.
He added that denying workers health coverage affects not only their well-being but also their productivity and dignity.
The convener also addressed concerns about the leadership of the Concerned Petrol Station Workers, clarifying that the current structure did not emerge through a formal election process.
He explained that the leadership was formed out of necessity due to long-standing welfare challenges faced by petrol station workers nationwide.
He emphasised the importance of establishing organised leadership at local, state and national levels to improve coordination and engagement with key stakeholders in the downstream sector.
Source: Getty Images
Rising costs worsen workers’ vulnerability
Zango noted that the current economic challenges and rising healthcare costs have further exposed petrol station workers, many of whom earn modest wages.
According to him, a single illness can severely impact a worker’s income and livelihood.
“Given the harsh economic conditions, workers can no longer afford to wait indefinitely for relief. Healthcare costs are rising, and one illness can wipe out a worker’s entire income,” he said.
He therefore called on IPMAN to take immediate steps to provide health insurance coverage for workers employed by its members nationwide.
Zango said such action would not only protect workers’ lives but also help ensure a stable, motivated workforce capable of sustaining operations in the downstream petroleum sector.
Petrol station workers lament low pay
Legit.ng earlier reported that petrol station workers lamented that they earn below the Nigerian government-approved minimum wage.
Despite working for top energy companies in the country, most attendants revealed that they earn between N20,000 and N30,000 per month, a figure which is less than half of the national minimum wage of N70,000.
The workers under the Concerned Pteroal Station Workers urged the federal government, the Ministry of Labour and Employment, and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to act urgently to protect workers’ welfare and enforce compliance with the national minimum wage.
Source: Legit.ng
