Fuel scarcity looms as NUPENG begins nationwide strike Monday over face-off with Dangote

The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has declared that its members will initiate a nationwide strike starting Monday, September 8, 2025. This protest aims to address what the union perceives as harmful labor practices associated with the introduction of newly imported Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) trucks by Dangote Refinery.

This announcement was made through a statement co-signed by their National President, Prince Williams Akporeha, along with General Secretary, Afolabi Olawale.

NUPENG reminded everyone that on June 14, 2025, Alhaji Aliko Dangote revealed the intention to bring in 4,000 CNG trucks, which later expanded to 10,000, to distribute petroleum and diesel products across the country. While this move initially seemed beneficial for the downstream sector, it led to discussions among stakeholders, such as the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), about the possible consequences.

To address these issues, NUPENG and NARTO asked to meet with Dangote. This meeting took place on June 23, 2025, with Alhaji Sayyu Dantata attending on his behalf. According to the union, they learned during this meeting that a new operational model for the trucks would be implemented, which did not include the current trade unions.

The union accused that driver recruitment for these trucks began on August 29, 2025, and reports suggested that candidates were asked to pledge not to join any existing oil and gas unions. NUPENG labeled this as a violation of established labor rights.

In their statement, they expressed, “The ongoing recruitment that restricts joining current unions is a very serious issue for us. This practice contradicts the Constitution of Nigeria, labor laws, and international agreements on the right to associate freely.”

NUPENG pointed to Section 40 of the Nigerian Constitution, which protects the right to freely associate, and also cited Section 9(6) of the Labour Act, which forbids punishing individuals for their union membership choices.

Moreover, they referred to Nigeria's endorsement of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention No. 87 regarding freedom of association, emphasizing its enforceability under Section 254C(2) of the Constitution.

NUPENG urged the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to use its authority as outlined in Section 32 of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) to encourage competition and prevent restrictive practices within the petroleum industry.

The strike decision has been made.