The Federal Government yesterday appealed to the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) to shelve its planned nationwide strike over alleged “anti-union practices, monopolistic agenda and indecent industrial relations strategies by the management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals.
Today was given by the union, which also sought President Bola Tinubu’s intervention, as the strike’s commencement date.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Dingyadi, who made the plea to NUPENG, also called on the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to withdraw its red alert to its affiliate unions to be on standby for solidarity with the union.
NUPENG is particularly peeved by the decision of the refinery’s management to bar newly recruited drivers of its newly imported Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) trucks from belonging to any existing union in the oil and gas industry.
The management had explained that direct distribution of petroleum products through the CNG trucks to retailers would eliminate logistics costs, enhance energy efficiency, promote sustainability and support the country’s economic development.
In a statement by the Head, Information and Public Relations of the ministry, Patience Onuobia, the minister said he had summoned a conciliatory meeting with all the parties for today.
Dingyadi said: “I have invited all the parties for a conciliation meeting, Monday, September 8, 2025. Since I have intervened, I plead with NUPENG to rescind their decision to shut down the petroleum sector from tomorrow.
“I also appeal to the NLC to withdraw the red alert it issued to its affiliate unions to be on standby for a nationwide strike in solidarity with NUPENG.
“The petroleum sector is very important to this country. It constitutes the core of the country’s economy. A strike in the petroleum sector, even for just a day, will have an adverse consequential impact on the economy. It will not only lead to heavy revenue losses by the country, running into billions of Naira, but also cause untold hardship and difficulties for Nigerians.
“Hence, I plead with the unions to give peace a chance. I assure them that this matter will be resolved amicably to the satisfaction of all the parties involved.”
The minister assured Nigerians that the dispute would be resolved to ensure that no disruption occurred in the petroleum sector, which is vital to the Nigerian economy.
The NLC and the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) had on Saturday urged President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the face-off.
In a statement by its President, Joe Ajaero, the NLC said the President needed to “immediately call Aliko Dangote and Alhaji Sayyu Dantata to order” and impress on them to respect national and international labour laws.
The Congress warned that the government should not look the other way while a few individuals privatise the nation’s energy future and enslave its workforce.
It said: “The NLC unequivocally condemn the anti-union, anti-worker, and monopolistic practices of the Dangote Group and its affiliates. Nigerian workers are not slaves and cannot be serially abused without consequences.
“If Dangote continues on this reckless anti-union path, we will move beyond words to action.”
