The fragile peace in Nigeria’s petroleum sector is set to be tested again as the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) on Sunday reaffirmed its decision to commence a nationwide strike today, September 8, 2025, despite appeals from the Federal Government.
The industrial action, which threatens to paralyze fuel distribution across the country, stems from NUPENG’s dispute with the Dangote Petroleum Refinery over what the union describes as anti-labour practices and attempts to erode the rights of petroleum tanker drivers.
The union, led by President Williams Akporeha and General Secretary Afolabi Olawale, accuses Dangote of deliberately undermining workers’ rights through the importation of 4,000 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) trucks for direct fuel distribution.
According to NUPENG, drivers recruited to man the trucks are allegedly barred from joining any trade union — a move the workers say violates the Nigerian Constitution and international labour conventions.
The crisis deepened after MRS Oil, owned by Dangote’s cousin, Sayyu Dantata, reportedly began hiring drivers under conditions that required them to renounce union membership.
For NUPENG, this amounts to an assault on the Petroleum Tanker Drivers branch, which has traditionally dominated road fuel distribution in Nigeria.
“Our appeal to Dangote has been ignored. We cannot stand by while jobs are eroded and workers are stripped of their right to unionise,” Akporeha insisted.
In a last-minute effort to avert the shutdown, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Dingyadi, summoned both parties to a conciliation meeting in Abuja today.
The minister warned that a strike in the petroleum sector would lead to revenue losses running into billions of naira and unleash widespread hardship on citizens.
“The petroleum sector is the backbone of our economy. Even a day’s strike will have devastating effects. We appeal to NUPENG to reconsider and allow peace to prevail,” Dingyadi pleaded.
But Akporeha told our correspondent, that government assurances were “not concrete,” confirming that the strike would commence this morning regardless of ongoing talks.
The threat of fuel scarcity is already palpable. Petroleum marketers have declared support for NUPENG, warning that filling stations nationwide will close if tanker drivers withdraw their services.
Billy Gillis-Harry, President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), said his members had no choice but to comply since many pump attendants are NUPENG members.
“Once our staff down tools, stations will be vulnerable.
We cannot open when attendants are absent. For now, we are suspending lifting and dispensing of products from Tuesday,” he said.
Gillis-Harry further accused the Dangote Group of pursuing “aggressive monopoly strategies” that could wipe out private depot owners, modular refineries, truck operators, and millions of jobs.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), through its president Joe Ajaero, has vowed to mobilise support for NUPENG, describing Dangote’s policies as “crude and dangerous.”
The NLC has already issued a “red alert” to affiliate unions in case the government fails to resolve the crisis.
Human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) also backed the oil workers, arguing that Dangote’s policy clearly violates Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution and global labour conventions ratified by Nigeria.
“Slavery ended centuries ago. Workers cannot be stripped of their freedom of association in modern Nigeria,” Falana declared.
However, not all stakeholders share this view. The Economic Rights Activists (ERA) condemned the planned strike as “reckless and unpatriotic,” warning that it would punish ordinary Nigerians rather than corporate giants.
“Transport fares will skyrocket, food prices will soar, and small businesses will collapse.
This is not a fight for justice; it is an attack on the people,” ERA’s Executive Director, Dr. Josiah Inuwa, said at a press briefing in Abuja.
As of this morning, uncertainty clouds the nation’s petroleum supply chain.
With both NUPENG and PETROAN poised to withdraw services, Nigerians fear a repeat of past fuel crises that saw queues stretch for kilometers, transport fares double, and inflation worsen.
Analysts say the standoff highlights Nigeria’s long-standing struggle with energy monopoly, labour rights, and governance gaps in the downstream petroleum sector.
If not resolved swiftly, the crisis could further strain President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms and deepen public frustration.
For now, the battle lines are clear: NUPENG is standing its ground, Dangote is pushing ahead with its business model, and the Federal Government is racing against time to prevent a nationwide shutdown.
Whether Monday’s conciliation meeting can produce a breakthrough remains to be seen.
But one thing is certain — if the strike proceeds, Nigerians may soon face long queues, empty filling stations, and a fresh wave of economic hardship.
