The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has condemned Dangote Petroleum Refinery for allegedly sponsoring division within its Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) branch, and also denying workers their rights to unionisation. NUPENG, which has been at loggerheads with Dangote Refinery over Dangote’s tanker drivers’ rights to join the union, accused the company of deploying “falsehoods” to undermine the union.
It also accused the company of using a “Greek gift” of free nationwide petroleum delivery to undermine the union and stifle competition. NUPENG in statement signed by its national executive president, Williams Akporeha, and the general secretary, Afolabi Olawale, dismissed an earlier press release by the Dangote Group as “an epitome of unconscionable capitalist falsehood aimed at hoodwinking Nigerians and crushing NUPENG.”
Dangote Petroleum Refinery had however dismissed allegations by NUPENG that it banned tanker drivers from joining the union. The refinery management said claims of anti-labour practices, monopolistic behaviour, and planned fuel price hikes are “entirely unfounded.” The ‘battle’ led NUPENG to shut down depots, protesting that the Dangote refinery did not allow the newly recruited drivers for its 4,000 compressed natural gas-powered trucks to join the union.
The shutdown of depots lasted till Tuesday, when it was suspended following an agreement reached by both parties at a meeting organised by the Ministry of Labour and Employment. Dangote Group through its spokesman Anthony Chiejina stated that the allegations that it was undermining union activities and threatening workers’ welfare through its new deployment of CNG-powered trucks were not true.
But on Friday, NUPENG alleged that despite signing a Memorandum of Understanding on September 9, which it said acknowledged the company’s initial resistance to unionisation, the Dangote refinery on September 11, 2025, instructed drivers to remove NUPENG stickers from their trucks and replace them with those of the newly formed Direct Trucking Company Drivers Association, allegedly created by Dangote management. “Our members have stoutly resisted this development,” the statement said, adding that the refinery has been attempting to sponsor parallel structures within the PTD branch since 2023 by recruiting members who had lost union elections into the DTCDA.
“It is on record that Dangote Group does not allow unionisation in its cement and sugar plants across Nigeria,” NUPENG said, adding that the same anti-union stance is now being extended to refinery workers. “Our solidarity remains constant, for the union makes us strong,” it stated.
