NUPENG Suspends Strike as Dangote Accepts Union’s Demands

The resolution followed a conciliation meeting convened by the Minister of Labour and Employment, which had in attendance representatives of the Dangote Group led by Sayyu Dantata, officials of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, as well as representatives of the Nigerian Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress.

An agreement signed at the meeting confirmed that Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Limited accepted the unionisation of its employees in line with existing labour laws. The process is expected to begin immediately and be completed within two weeks, between September 9 and 22, 2025. Both parties also agreed that no worker would be victimised over the strike action.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by Sayyu Dantata for the Dangote Group; Williams Akporeha, NUPENG’s National President; Afolabi Olawale, NUPENG’s General Secretary; O.K. Ukoha of the NMDPRA; Amos Falonipe of the Ministry of Labour; and other labour leaders.

Before its suspension, the strike had already caused widespread fuel scarcity. In states like Cross River, Kaduna, Enugu, and Anambra, many filling stations shut down while others hiked pump prices. Motorists and commuters lamented long queues, increased fares, and reliance on black-market fuel, which sold as high as N1,500 per litre in some areas.

In Kaduna, virtually all major filling stations were closed, forcing commercial transport operators and residents into a desperate search for fuel. Similar situations were reported in Enugu and Anambra where transport fares doubled due to scarcity. In Gombe, petrol prices rose to between N910 and N1,000 per litre. However, states like Jos, Kano, Zamfara, and Ilorin recorded minimal impact.

The Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) branch of NUPENG had earlier accused Dangote Refinery of anti-labour practices by allegedly preventing its drivers from joining the union. The union also opposed the refinery’s direct fuel distribution plan involving 4,000 CNG-powered trucks, describing it as a threat to their jobs.

Speaking after the agreement, NUPENG President Williams Akporeha explained that strike action was not the union’s first option but insisted that no employer has the right to deny workers their lawful rights. He emphasised that NUPENG was not against Dangote’s success but urged the refinery to “play by the rules.”

With the suspension of the strike, fuel loading at depots is expected to resume on Wednesday, easing scarcity and restoring normalcy in affected states.