The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the management of Dangote Refinery have once again agreed to honour the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed earlier in the week over workers’ right to unionise.
This renewed commitment followed a high-level meeting convened by the Department of State Services (DSS) on Friday at its headquarters in Abuja.
The two parties had previously met on Monday, September 8, 2025, following tensions that arose from Dangote Refinery’s initial reluctance to recognise workers’ union rights, a development that prompted NUPENG to threaten strike action.
According to sources familiar with Friday’s meeting, all stakeholders were urged to maintain the status quo and respect the two-week window for implementing the MoU.
NUPENG had suspended its nationwide strike on Tuesday after reaching an agreement with the company to recognise employees’ right to unionise.
The closed-door meeting, held at the DSS office, was attended by the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun; representatives of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC); and other key stakeholders. It came on the heels of a conciliation session earlier convened by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.
Despite the initial agreement, NUPENG issued a warning less than 48 hours later, accusing Dangote Refinery of breaching the terms of the deal, particularly regarding its Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) members.
In a statement jointly signed by NUPENG President Williams Akporeha and General Secretary Afolabi Olawale, the union said:
“We are by this statement placing all our members on red alert for the resumption of the suspended nationwide industrial action and calling on the Nigeria Labour Congress, Trade 1 Support Our Dream Union Congress, all regional and global working people, and civil society organisations to rise in support and solidarity against this threat of the capitalist world.”
At the core of the dispute is the MoU signed between both parties. The document affirms that workers at Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals have the right to unionise in line with Nigeria’s labour laws.
The agreement outlines the following resolutions:
“That since workers’ unionisation is a right in line with the provisions of the extant laws, the management of Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals agreed to the unionisation of employees of Dangote Refinery and the unionisation of employees of Petrochemicals, who are willing to unionise.
“That the process of unionisation shall commence immediately and be completed within two weeks (9th – 22nd September, 2025), and it was agreed that the employer will not set up any other union.
“Arising from the strike notice, no worker or employee of Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical will be victimised.”
The agreement was signed on behalf of the management by:
- Sayyu Dantata (Managing Director, Dangote Group)
- O.K. Ukoha (Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority – NMDPRA)
- Ojimba Jibrin (Dangote Group)
Labour representatives who signed include:
- Benson Upah (Nigeria Labour Congress – NLC)
- N.A. Toro (Trade Union Congress – TUC)
- Williams Akporeha (NUPENG President)
- Afolabi Olawale (NUPENG General Secretary)
The Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment was represented by Amos Falonipe, Director of Trade Union Services and Industrial Relations, who signed on behalf of the Minister.
Amid the dispute, fears of a potential fuel scarcity have intensified. Many businesses in Nigeria depend heavily on petroleum products for daily operations, and any disruption in supply could have severe economic consequences.
A shortage of fuel would likely trigger a hike in the prices of goods and services, further worsening the cost of living for millions of Nigerians.
