Efforts by the Federal Government to mediate a dispute between the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Dangote Group have collapsed, raising fears of an impending fuel strike.
The closed-door meeting, held on Monday and led by Minister of Labour and Employment Mohammed Dingyadi and Minister of State, Nkiruka Onyejeocha, ended in a stalemate, failing to avert NUPENG’s planned industrial action.
The meeting included NUPENG’s national executives, representatives from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC), the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), and the Dangote Group, alongside MRS Petroleum.
NMDPRA’s Executive Director for Distribution Systems, Storage, and Retailing Infrastructure, Ogbugo Ukoha, was also present.
NUPENG had announced on Friday that its members would halt operations starting September 8, protesting alleged attempts by Dangote Refinery to block its compressed natural gas (CNG) tanker drivers from unionizing.
Despite the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) and the Direct Trucking Company Drivers Association (DTCDA) distancing themselves from the strike, NUPENG reaffirmed its commitment to proceed on Sunday.
In a bid to prevent the strike, Dingyadi appealed to NUPENG, stating, “I have invited all parties for a conciliation meeting on Monday, September 8, 2025. I plead with NUPENG to rescind their decision to shut down the petroleum sector, as even a single day of strike will lead to billions in revenue losses and untold hardship for Nigerians.”
The appeal, signed by Patience Onuobia, head of the ministry’s information unit, also urged the NLC to withdraw its “red alert” directing affiliate unions to prepare for solidarity action against Dangote’s alleged “anti-worker and anti-union practices.”
Dingyadi emphasized the sector’s economic importance, saying, “The petroleum sector is the core of Nigeria’s economy. We are committed to resolving this matter amicably to ensure stability.”
However, with negotiations deadlocked, the threat of disruption to fuel supply looms large.
