A fragile truce between the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the $20 billion Dangote Petroleum Refinery has collapsed, raising fears of a renewed nationwide fuel scarcity. The dispute reignited after NUPENG accused the Dangote Group of allegedly violating a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that had been signed just days earlier.
The Breakdown of the Agreement
The conflict centers on an MoU signed on September 9 at the Department of State Services (DSS) headquarters in Abuja. The agreement, brokered by the Ministry of Labour and Employment and witnessed by multiple government and union bodies, was intended to end a prior strike by affirming the right of Petroleum Tanker Drivers to freely unionize under NUPENG.
However, NUPENG’s National President, Williams Akporeha, accused Sayyu Aliu Dantata, a key figure in the refinery’s trucking operations, of defying the resolution. According to Akporeha, within 48 hours of the agreement, Dantata allegedly ordered drivers to remove NUPENG stickers from their vehicles and used security agencies to intimidate union officials.
Union’s “Red Alert” and Dangote’s Response
In response to the alleged breach, NUPENG has put its members on “red alert,” warning of a potential resumption of the nationwide strike that was suspended upon the signing of the MoU. The union has condemned what it calls “impunity” and warned against the use of state-funded security agencies against workers.
In a detailed rejoinder, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery management has strongly denied the allegations, calling them “wholly inaccurate.” The company stated that union membership is a voluntary right and that it has not compelled drivers to renounce their affiliations. It further claimed that its new CNG truck initiative would create over 60,000 direct jobs, far from threatening livelihoods. The company accused NUPENG of resorting to “economic sabotage, coercion, or blackmail under the guise of labour activism.”
Broader Implications
The dispute has placed the Federal Government in a difficult position, with observers noting that its authority to enforce agreements could be undermined if the Dangote Group is seen to defy a government-brokered deal. Both fuel marketers and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) have urged all parties to respect the truce.
For ordinary Nigerians, the central concern remains the same: whether the standoff between the powerful refinery and the influential oil workers’ union will lead to another round of fuel scarcity and price hikes. As of Thursday, NUPENG warned that it might resume industrial action on September 15 if the refinery does not comply with the MoU.
Source: BBC