The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has confirmed plans to begin a nationwide strike on Monday, September 8, 2025, accusing Dangote Refinery management of allegedly fostering exploitative labour practices reminiscent of modern-day slavery.
This was contained in a statement on Sunday signed by NUPENG’s President, Williams Akporeha, and General Secretary, Afolabi Olufemi.
The union had earlier announced the strike last Friday, citing alleged anti-labour practices by the refinery.
But the company has yet to respond to the allegation.
At the heart of the dispute is Dangote’s controversial plan to bypass traditional distribution channels by importing 4,000 compressed natural gas (CNG)-powered trucks to deliver fuel directly to retailers, starting August 15.
The union condemned what it described as a blatant anti-union stance by the Dangote Group, alleging that the company had barred newly recruited drivers for the company’s imported trucks from joining any labour union.
However, the Direct Trucking Company Drivers Association opposed NUPENG’s planned strike, distancing itself from the union’s position.
NUPENG rejected the DTCDA’s stance, dismissing the group as a management-backed creation aimed at undermining the unity and influence of petroleum tanker drivers.
It claimed that the DTCDA was merely a recruiting front established to manage the 10,000 CNG trucks being imported.
The union dismissed the DTCDA as an illegitimate and unauthorised body with no standing to represent petroleum tanker drivers.
The statement read in part, “For the information of the public, the DTCDA is the association which Dangote Group of companies has formed for the drivers to join compulsorily, rather than allowing drivers to join NUPENG which is the only statutorily recognised union authorised to unionise petroleum tanker drivers.
“The signatory to the statement of DTCDA, one Enoch Kanawa, is a lawyer, not a tanker driver. Enoch Kanawa signed the statement as President of DTCDA. The media should ask Kanawa when DTCDA was formed and when his election as president took place.
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