The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has leveled serious allegations against the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, accusing the company of resisting workers’ rights to unionise, sponsoring parallel associations within its Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) branch, and spreading what the union described as “falsehoods” to weaken its influence.
In a statement jointly signed on Friday by its National Executive President, Williams Akporeha, and General Secretary, Afolabi Olawale, NUPENG dismissed a press release issued by the Dangote Group a day earlier. The union described the company’s claims as “an epitome of unconscionable capitalist falsehood aimed at hoodwinking Nigerians and crushing NUPENG.”
The union further alleged that the refinery was using a “Greek gift” of free petroleum distribution across the country as a strategy to undercut competition and diminish the union’s bargaining power.
Earlier in the week, NUPENG had staged a two-day depot shutdown after accusing the refinery of preventing newly recruited drivers of its 4,000 compressed natural gas (CNG)-powered trucks from joining the union. The strike action, which began on Monday, was suspended on Tuesday after the Ministry of Labour and Employment facilitated a truce between both sides.
However, NUPENG insisted on Thursday that Dangote had failed to respect the agreement reached, accusing the refinery of continuing with anti-union practices.
The Dangote Group, through its spokesperson, Anthony Chiejina, had countered these allegations, dismissing claims of union suppression, monopolistic tendencies, and threats to workers’ welfare. The company restated its commitment to constitutional labour rights, insisting that employees remained free to associate with any recognised union.
But NUPENG claimed that, despite signing a Memorandum of Understanding on September 9—which acknowledged initial resistance to unionisation—the refinery directed drivers on September 11, 2025, to remove NUPENG stickers from their vehicles and replace them with those of the newly created Direct Trucking Company Drivers Association (DTCDA), an association the union alleged was formed by the refinery’s management.
“Our members have stoutly resisted this development,” NUPENG stated, further alleging that Dangote had, since 2023, been attempting to create divisions within the PTD branch by recruiting individuals who had previously lost union elections into the newly floated DTCDA.
The union also linked some public figures defending the refinery’s stance to ongoing criminal investigations, stressing that Nigerians should be wary of Dangote’s offer of free petroleum delivery nationwide, which it alleged was designed to entrench monopoly control and weaken independent union structures.
NUPENG added that the company’s alleged anti-union behaviour was not new, pointing out that Dangote had long resisted unionisation at its cement and sugar plants across the country. It warned that similar tactics were now being extended to refinery operations.
The union called on Nigerians and the international community to stand firm against any attempt to deny workers their fundamental right to freedom of association, while warning that its leaders must not be intimidated or harmed in the course of defending workers’ interests.
“Our solidarity remains constant, for the union makes us strong,” the statement concluded.
What You Should Know
The clash between NUPENG and the Dangote Petroleum Refinery highlights the growing tension between organised labour and corporate interests in Nigeria’s oil sector.
While NUPENG accuses the refinery of sponsoring rival associations and resisting unionisation, Dangote maintains that it supports workers’ rights.
At stake is not only the right of drivers to organise but also the broader issue of fair competition in Nigeria’s petroleum industry.
