Dangote, NUPENG reach agreement, suspend strike

The National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and Dangote Refinery have reached an agreement, leading to the immediate suspension of a nationwide strike that had threatened to disrupt fuel supply across the country.

The breakthrough came after a reconvened meeting held in Abuja on Tuesday, following days of tense negotiations that had previously ended in a stalemate.

The industrial action was initiated by NUPENG in protest of alleged anti-union practices by the Dangote Group, particularly the company’s policy regarding the unionisation of its workers.

The strike, which began on Monday, had already caused panic and a shutdown of fuel loading activities at various depots nationwide.

The action had been described by NUPENG President, Williams Akporeha, as a stand against what he termed “anti-worker and anti-union practices” and an attempt by the Dangote Group to “enslave” workers.

The Dangote Group, however, had maintained that the strike would not cause fuel scarcity.

According to a source at the negotiation meeting, the resolution was achieved after intense dialogue and the intervention of government officials and other key stakeholders.

NUPENG has since instructed its members to return to work immediately.

This resolution brings to an end a tense standoff and averts a potential major economic crisis, as the strike had been supported by other major labour bodies, including the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by both parties and senior government officials, outlined the resolutions that ended the dispute. The document, issued by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, read in part:

“Following the threat to embark on industrial action by the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) over the refusal of the management of Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Limited to allow their employees to be unionized by registered labour unions, a conciliation meeting was held at the instance of the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment. It was revealed in the course of the meeting that the management agreed with this fact and responded that they are not averse to the unionization of their employees by labour unions in tandem with the provisions of the extant labour laws.

“After exhaustive deliberations, the following resolutions were reached by both parties: 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 unionization of employees of Dangote Refinery and 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 to 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 victimized. Parties will revert to the Honourable Minister of Labour a week after the conclusion of the engagement. Based on the MoU, NUPENG agreed to suspend the industrial action with immediate effect.”

The agreement was formally sealed with the signatures of key representatives from both sides and other stakeholders.

Those who signed the document included Suyya Datata, Managing Director of Dangote Group; Otunba Jibrin, representing Dangote Group; O.K. Ukoha of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA); Comrade Benson Upah, Acting General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC); Comrade Nuhu Toro, Secretary General of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC); Comrade Akporeha Williams, NUPENG National President; and Comrade Afolabi Olawale, General Secretary of NUPENG.

It was also signed on behalf of the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment by Felonipe Amos, Director of Trade Union Services and Industrial Relations.

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