The lingering standoff between the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and Dangote Petroleum Refinery has triggered a nationwide disruption in fuel distribution, raising fears of imminent scarcity across the country.
On Monday, loading activities at petroleum depots were paralysed after NUPENG ordered its members to halt operations in protest against what it described as an attempt by the Dangote refinery to bar workers from unionising.
The move, which came despite Federal Government mediation efforts, has already forced closures at multiple depots and filling stations nationwide.
Representatives of NUPENG, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC), and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) met with Dangote Group officials at the Ministry of Labour’s headquarters in Abuja on Monday.
The meeting, co-chaired by Labour Minister Muhammed Dingyadi and Minister of State Nkeiru Onyejeocha, was expected to produce a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
However, disagreements over key resolutions stalled the signing, extending the talks late into the night.
As of 10:15 pm, discussions were ongoing, with parties struggling to reach consensus on the issue of unionisation for tanker drivers and refinery workers.
Across Lagos, Delta, Rivers, and Sokoto States, NUPENG members enforced the strike directive by shutting gates at major depots including Aiteo, RainOil, MAO, Integrated Oil and Gas, and Matrix.
Tanker drivers parked their vehicles while union officials blocked entrances to prevent lifting of petroleum products.
In Sokoto, eyewitnesses reported barricades along Gusau Road and other major highways. Filling stations were closed, leaving commuters stranded.
“If this continues, transport fares will go up, and it will affect everybody,” lamented Bello Musa, a commercial tricycle operator.
NUPENG President, Williams Akporeha, confirmed “100 per cent compliance nationwide,” insisting the strike was necessary to protect workers’ rights.
The union accused Dangote and MRS Petroleum of plans to replace unionised drivers with contract workers, a move they said would erode job security.
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) declared solidarity with NUPENG, threatening to shut down refinery operations if Dangote continued to resist unionisation.
In a statement, PENGASSAN General Secretary, Lumumba Okugbawa, accused Dangote refinery management of “consistent resistance to unionisation since inception.”
He warned that denying workers the right to organise violated Nigerian labour laws and International Labour Organisation conventions.
“The right of workers to unionise is not just a legal right but a fundamental human right,” Okugbawa stressed, adding that continued denial could destabilise the downstream oil sector.
Beyond organised labour, other stakeholders have signaled readiness to escalate the crisis.
The Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association of Nigeria (NOGASA) announced it would halt supply to construction companies, hotels, and telecom sites if talks failed.
Its President, Bennett Korie, said, “We appeal to President Bola Tinubu to intervene urgently to prevent job losses across the distribution value chain.”
Similarly, the Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) instructed members to suspend sales from Tuesday if the deadlock persists.
On its part, the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) urged restraint, warning that prolonged industrial action could cripple fuel supply and worsen economic hardship for Nigerians.
Although the immediate effect of the strike was yet to be fully felt on Monday, analysts warn that a prolonged shutdown will trigger acute fuel shortages, hike transportation costs, and deepen inflationary pressures already battering Nigerian households.
Energy expert Dr. Bala Zaki told our correspondent that the stalemate highlighted deeper challenges in Nigeria’s downstream oil sector.
“The Dangote refinery was supposed to ease fuel supply constraints, but this crisis shows that industrial relations must be handled carefully. Without resolution, we risk a nationwide fuel crisis within days.”
The Federal Government faces mounting pressure to break the deadlock. President Bola Tinubu’s administration, which has positioned the Dangote refinery as central to Nigeria’s energy self-sufficiency, risks public backlash if the strike spirals into widespread scarcity.
For now, Nigerians watch anxiously as negotiations continue behind closed doors.
But with depots locked, tankers grounded, and multiple unions threatening escalation, the showdown between NUPENG and Dangote has become a critical test for the government’s crisis management.
If no compromise is reached in the coming hours, stakeholders warn the country may face one of its most severe fuel supply disruptions in recent years.
