Connect with us

Business

NUPENG suspends strike as Dangote accepts union’s demands

Published

on

The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers suspended its two-day strike on Tuesday following a meeting with officials of the Federal Government and the Dangote Group, amid fuel supply disruptions in different locations across the country.

The National President of NUPENG, Williams Akporeha, confirmed this to one of our correspondents. After the failure of the Monday meeting, the Ministry of Labour summoned another meeting on Tuesday with more stakeholders in attendance.

Those in attendance included representatives of the Dangote Group led by Sayyu Dantata, officials of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, and others. An agreement signed after the meeting showed that the Dangote refinery agreed to unionise its members.

“Following the threat to embark on industrial action by the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers over the refusal of the management of the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Limited to allow their employees to be unionised by registered labour unions, a conciliation meeting was held at the instance of the Minister of Labour and Employment, and 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 unionisation 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 unionisation of employees of Dangote Refinery and the 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-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 victimised,” the agreement read.

Parties are to revert to the 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 MoU was signed by Dangote’s Sayyu Dantata; NUPENG’s Akporeha and his Secretary, Afolabi Olawale; an official of the NMDPRA, OK Ukoha; a director of the labour ministry, Amos Falonipe; and representatives of the Nigerian Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress.

However, as the strike entered the second day before its suspension on Tuesday, Nigerians in different parts of the country felt the impact as many filling stations were shut. NUPENG had on Friday declared its intention to stop loading fuel this week over allegations that the Dangote refinery planned to ban the drivers recruited for its 4,000 trucks from joining the union.

Recall that the Dangote refinery planned to start direct fuel distribution from August 15 with its 4,000 Compressed Natural Gas-powered trucks. But the scheme was delayed due to a lack of enough ships to bring the trucks to Nigeria. While the refinery is still receiving the trucks as they arrive in Nigeria, the Petroleum Tanker Drivers branch of NUPENG accused the refinery management of anti-labour practices for not allowing its drivers to join the union.

They also accused Alhaji Aliko Dangote of plans to render them useless with his direct fuel distribution scheme. NUPENG President Akporeha on Sunday confirmed that the Federal Government had reached out to the union on the need to avert the strike, but he refused to call off the strike.

Following the inability of the Federal Government to broker peace between NUPENG and the Dangote refinery at the Monday conciliation meeting organised by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Dingyadi, the union continued the strike, shutting down depots and some filling stations. The suspension of the strike later in the evening was a relief in areas where its impact was felt.

In states like Cross River and Kaduna, many filling stations were under lock and key on Tuesday, while some adjusted pump prices in Sokoto and Enugu. It was also gathered that vehicle owners engaged in panic buying in parts of Lagos and Ogun States.

The National President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria, Billy Gillis-Harry, told The PUNCH that “PETROAN members joined the strike on Tuesday, as the Monday meeting with the labour minister yielded no result.” Gillis-Harry, who described the strike as a looming danger, however, appreciated the Federal Government for its prompt intervention.

Fuel supply disruptions

In Calabar, the capital of Cross River, commuters and residents lamented the hike in fares following the fuel scarcity in the state on Tuesday. Commuters said that the fuel scarcity triggered a hike in transport fares, leaving many commuters stranded and frustrated.

Explaining how the fuel scarcity affected transport costs, a resident, Mary Archibong, said, “The fuel scarcity has affected everyone in one way or another. Before now, from Watt to Calabar Roundabout, it used to be N300, but now it’s N500. It is very bad because the drivers are now buying from the black market at N1,500 per litre,” she said.

It was learnt commercial activities in Kaduna were on Tuesday crippled as the now-suspended strike forced major filling stations in the metropolis to shut down their operations. A visit to several parts of the state capital revealed that virtually all major filling stations had locked their gates, leaving motorists and residents stranded.

At the Barnawa area in Kaduna South Local Government Area, Future View Filling Station and the NNPC Mega Filling Station along Aliyu Makama Road were under lock and key. Residents expressed frustration as the strike entered its first day. “I drove around for over an hour looking for fuel. Nowhere is selling,” lamented Musa Lawal, a commercial tricycle operator.

The situation was the same across other parts of the city. At the busy Station Roundabout, the AA Rano and Shema filling stations remained shut, while at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium Roundabout, Total, MRS, and the NNPC Mega Station all closed shop. The stations were deserted.

Similarly, the Total and Mobil filling stations along Ahmadu Bello Way and Muhammadu Buhari Way (formerly WAFF Road) were not dispensing fuel when our correspondent visited.

Some motorists who managed to find fuel at smaller independent stations complained of arbitrary price hikes. A motorist, Sani Ibrahim, told The PUNCH that he bought fuel at N950 per litre, up from N860 the previous day.

In Enugu, commuters were stranded on Tuesday due to fuel scarcity. Many petrol stations closed shops at noon. Motorists were unable to access petrol, so they were left idling on major roads, while some resorted to black-market vendors charging up to N1,500 per litre.

It was observed that busy roads such as Ogui Junction, Abakpa Junction, IMT, Emene, and Holy Ghost were unusually scanty on Tuesday, with few vehicles moving around to pick passengers. The strike led to immediate fare hikes . Buses raised fares from N300 to N500 from Garriki to New Market.

The PUNCH reports that there were long queues in many filling stations across Anambra State on Tuesday, resulting in the sharp increase in transportation fares for both interstate and intrastate movement. The queues built up in some parts of Onitsha, Awka and Nnewi, as only a few filling stations were seen dispensing the product.

As a result, commuters had a hectic time going to their various destinations as commercial transport operators hiked transport fares by over 50 per cent. Many motorists hiked their fares as a result of the development. It was observed that a journey of N200 cost as much as N400, while that of N300 became N600.

In Gombe, fuel prices climbed to between N910 and N1,000 per litre. At a filling station along Gombe-Bauchi Road, an attendant, who pleaded anonymity, confirmed the increment, saying marketers were reacting to “uncertain developments in the sector.”

He added, “We are still selling because supply is steady, but once depots are locked, the price will go up further. That is why our managers adjusted the pump price early.”  Meanwhile, there was not much impact felt in states like Jos, Kano, Zamfara and Ilorin. There was a marginal price increase in Sokoto State.

Speaking on national television earlier on Tuesday, the NUPENG boss, Akporeha, said the union had no choice but to press on with industrial action after Dangote’s management rejected recognised oil and gas unions and allegedly claimed to have a separate association for its workers.

Akporeha alleged that the representative of the Dangote refinery, Dantata, walked out of the Monday meeting when the labour minister told him that the Dangote refinery could not have a separate union for its workforce. The labour leader alleged that the Dangote refinery created an alternative drivers’ association to weaken NUPENG, describing the move as illegal.

He insisted that the law only recognised existing unions such as NUPENG, PENGASSAN and others in the oil and gas sector. While clarifying that strike action was a legitimate industrial tool, Akporeha stressed that dialogue remained open.

“Strikes are part of industrial relations. But under my leadership, it has never been the first option, but no employer has the right to enslave workers,” he said. He dismissed allegations that NUPENG was attempting to sabotage the refinery or frustrate local production.

“Everybody wants Dangote to succeed, including NUPENG. But he must play by the rules. Nigeria cannot afford investors who act like dictators or slave drivers,” he said. On Monday, depots and filling stations were also closed by NUPENG members. The Aradel refinery in Obele, Port Harcourt, was shut. The Kwale Hydrocarbon facility in Delta State was shut.

Checks by one of our correspondents confirmed that activities at petroleum depots were paralysed across the country. NUPENG officials visited the depots on Monday and the early hours of Tuesday to enforce compliance. In various states across the country, especially those in Lagos and Warri, Delta State, drivers parked their trucks to wait for the next directive as far as fuel lifting was concerned.

Our correspondent reports that NUPENG officials shut down some depots to prevent the movement of trucks. The National President of NUPENG, Williams Akporeha, told our correspondent that there was “100 per cent compliance across the nation.” Some members of the union accused Dangote and MRS of having plans to take over their jobs with the recruitment of new drivers.

At Aiteo, RainOil, Shell+, First Royal, MAO, Hensmor, One Terminals, Africa Terminals, Integrated Oil and Gas, and other depots in Lagos, the gates were locked as workers stayed away to comply with the strike action. Also, A&E, Matrix, Parker AY Shafa, and other depots in Warri joined the strike on Monday. The PUNCH reports that with the suspension of the industrial action, loading of fuel is expected to resume on Wednesday.

(Additional reports by: Raphael Ede, Ikenna Obianeri, Chima Azubuike, James Abraham, Hussaini Ibrahim, Maiharaji Altine, Animasahun Salman, and Dare Akogun)

FOLLOW US ON:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

PINTEREST

TIKTOK

YOUTUBE

LINKEDIN

TUMBLR

INSTAGRAM

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Business

Reps to mediate in PENGASSAN, Dangote refinery dispute

Published

on

The House of Representatives on Tuesday resolved to intervene in the recent face-off between members of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria and the Dangote Refinery, which had disrupted petroleum product distribution nationwide.

The resolution of the House followed the consideration and adoption of a motion of urgent public importance co-sponsored by Kano and Sokoto lawmakers, Alhassan Doguwa and Abdussamad Dasuki, respectively, at Tuesday’s plenary.

Titled: “Need to protect private investment from adversarial unionism,” the lawmakers drew the attention of their colleagues to the significance of the Dangote Refinery, describing it as the largest private petroleum refinery in Africa.

The face-off between PENGASSAN and the Dangote Refinery led to an industrial action which commenced on September 29, 2025, disrupting the operations at the $20bn refinery.

It also led to a disruption in Nigeria’s crude oil production, with a reported daily loss of approximately 200,000 barrels over three days.

The disruption worsened the petroleum supply situation across the country, resulting in scarcity and long queues at filling stations in several states, resulting in severe hardship for millions of Nigerians.

Speaking on the motion, Doguwa, who represents Doguwa/Tudun Wada Federal Constituency, Kano State, stressed the need to protect the Dangote Refinery given its strategic significance to the nation’s economy.

He said, “The House is aware that the Dangote Refinery is a strategic private investment of immense national importance, with the potential to guarantee energy security, reduce import dependency, generate employment, and conserve foreign exchange.

“We are aware that the Dangote Refinery operates within a Free Trade Zone, and therefore falls under the regulatory framework of the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority, particularly Section 18(5) of the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Act which clearly states that ‘Employment in the free zone shall be governed by rules and regulations made by the Authority and not subject to the provisions of any enactments relating to employment matters.’

“The House is concerned that actions by labour unions that disregard the legal protections conferred on Free Zones under the NEPZA Act not only constitute a breach of law but also create a hostile investment environment that may deter future local and foreign investors;

“We are worried that if private investments of strategic national importance are continually subjected to unlawful disruptions by adversarial unionism, Nigeria risks not only the failure of key economic assets but also the erosion of investor confidence necessary for national growth and development.”

In his contribution, the member representing Chibok/Damboa/Gwoza Federal Constituency, Ahmad Jaha, urged the House to tread carefully, adding that the call for a probe as prayed by the motion was ill-timed.

Following the adoption of the motion, the House urged its leadership to broker peace between the two parties in the interest of the nation.

It also urged the Federal Ministries of Labour and Employment, Industry, Trade and Investment, as well as Justice, to “Jointly develop and implement a national framework or set of policies to safeguard private investments of strategic national importance from adversarial and unlawful union actions.”

It further charged the Federal Ministry of Justice and NEPZA to ensure full enforcement and compliance with the provisions of Section 18(5) of the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Act in all relevant Free Zone operations.

punch.ng

FOLLOW US ON:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

PINTEREST

TIKTOK

YOUTUBE

LINKEDIN

TUMBLR

INSTAGRAM

Continue Reading

Business

Debt dispute: Drama as Max Air pilot refuses to fly

Published

on

Drama unfolded at Maiduguri International Airport on Monday as over 100 Max Air’s passengers of were left stranded for hours due to a face-off between the airline’s pilots and management over unpaid debts.

The incident caused panic and confusion among travellers who had already boarded the aircraft and were awaiting departure.

According to an eyewitness who refused to give her name for fear of the unknown, the pilots refused to proceed with the flight, which the flight attendants blamed solely on the pilot’s unpaid entitlements.

This shocking development held the scheduled airline to ransom for some hours, sparking tension among the passengers, with the development forcing them to disembark in frustration after being informed of the dispute and refusal of the pilot to fly.

Another eyewitness who gave his name simply as Shola told The PUNCH that the pilots were protesting unresolved financial issues with the airline.

The traveller who was aboard the affected flight confirmed that boarding had been completed when the airline staff members suddenly instructed passengers to leave the aircraft and return to the terminal.

“We had all taken our seats and were waiting to take off when they asked us to disembark,” the source said.

According to the same source, passengers waited for several hours in uncertainty before the matter was eventually resolved.

“There was tension initially, but after some time, we were told the issue had been settled. We were later asked to re-board the aircraft,” the traveller said.

Confirming the development, the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Michael Achimugu, confirmed the incident, adding that the dispute appeared to have been resolved amicably by both parties without regulatory intervention.

“The flight later departed around past 2:00 pm, which means the issue was resolved. Since it was an internal matter, and the aircraft eventually flew, we consider it closed.”

The NCAA spokesman said. “We typically don’t intervene in salary-related disputes unless a formal report is submitted.”

He further emphasised that while the NCAA regulates safety and operational standards, issues such as wage disputes between staff and management are typically handled internally by the airline unless safety is compromised.

Max Air’s Executive Director, Shehu Wada, also confirmed the development, describing it as a result of miscommunication.

“It is a communication gap issue, and it has been resolved. That is how I can describe it basically,” he said.

punch.ng

FOLLOW US ON:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

PINTEREST

TIKTOK

YOUTUBE

LINKEDIN

TUMBLR

INSTAGRAM

Continue Reading

Business

Petrol tops Nigeria’s imports with 613.6m litres in one year

Published

on

Nigerians consumed a total of 613.62 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as petrol, for transportation, power generation, and other domestic uses between October 2024 and October 10, 2025.

This is according to fresh data obtained from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority obtained by our correspondent on Monday in Abuja.

Despite the ramp-up in operations at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and other local plants, imported petrol still accounted for a larger share of the country’s total fuel supply during the period under review.

Out of the total 613.62 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit consumed between October 2024 and October 10, 2025, the NMDPRA data revealed that 236.08 million litres were supplied by domestic refineries, while 377.54 million litres came through imports.

The figures indicate that imported petrol still accounted for the bulk of Nigeria’s fuel needs within the period, with imports dominating supply, contributing about 63 per cent of Nigeria’s PMS needs.

While local refineries, led by the 650,000-barrels-per-day Dangote Refinery, provided the remaining 37 per cent, marking a significant improvement from the previous year’s levels.

The NMDPRA data further indicated that domestic production rose steadily from 9.62 million litres per day in October 2024 to 18.93 million litres per day by October 2025, showing a near 100 per cent increase within the one-year period.

Conversely, import volumes declined sharply from 46.38 million litres per day in October 2024 to 15.11 million litres per day in October 2025, reflecting a 67 per cent drop.

A monthly breakdown of the data revealed a steady decline in petrol importation and a gradual rise in local supply. Import volumes dropped from 46.38 million litres in October 2024 to 36.39 million litres in November and 38.90 million litres in December.

By January 2025, import figures had fallen further to 24.15 million litres, and though there were slight fluctuations in subsequent months – 26.79 million litres in February, 25.19 million litres in March, and 23.73 million litres in April – imports rebounded temporarily to 37.37 million litres in May.

Thereafter, volumes declined again, with 28.54 million litres imported in June, 35.07 million litres in July, 20.66 million litres in August, 19.26 million litres in September, and a year-low of 15.11 million litres as of October 10, 2025.

In contrast, domestic refining output showed notable improvement within the same period, rising from 9.62 million litres in October 2024 to 19.36 million litres in November and 13.13 million litres in December.

The upward trend continued into 2025, with local supply climbing to 22.66 million litres in January and 22.42 million litres in February and maintaining over 20 million litres in both March (20.65 million litres) and April (20.35 million litres).

Though there were minor dips to 17.85 million litres in May, 17.82 million litres in June, and 16.50 million litres in July, output surged again to 21.19 million litres in August before stabilising at 18.93 million litres in October 2025.

The figures reflect a gradual but significant shift in Nigeria’s fuel supply structure, with local refineries, particularly the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, steadily closing the gap on imports within just one year of operation.

The document further showed that total petrol supply averaged 46.6 million litres per day, comprising 29.5 million litres from imports and about 17.1 million litres from local production.

The reduction in petrol imports has also eased pressure on Nigeria’s foreign reserves, as the country spends less on importing refined products. Previously, importers required billions of dollars monthly to settle letters of credit and cover freight and insurance costs.

However, the report noted fluctuations in overall supply, with volumes dipping from 55.21 million litres in May 2025 to 34.04 million litres in October 2025, a sign that logistical constraints and periodic maintenance still affect consistent nationwide distribution.

Oil and gas analysts say the improvement coincides with the first full year of operations of the Dangote Refinery, which began large-scale production earlier in 2025 and now contributes between 15 and 20 million litres of PMS daily to the domestic market.

Since its commissioning in May 2023 and subsequent ramp-up through 2024, the Dangote Refinery has been under global scrutiny as the flagship of Nigeria’s industrial revival agenda.

In its first year of sustained operation, the refinery’s growing output has reshaped Nigeria’s fuel supply structure, reduced foreign exchange exposure, and rekindled confidence in local refining after decades of failed turnarounds at the government-owned Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries.

Commenting, the Chief Executive Officer of Petroleum.ng, Olatide Jeremiah, said that Nigeria’s domestic refining capacity has recorded remarkable progress in the past year, with the Dangote Refinery now supplying about 40 per cent of the country’s daily petrol consumption.

Speaking in reaction to new supply data released by the NMDPRA, the analyst said the progress underscores the growing impact of local refineries on Nigeria’s energy security.

He, however, stressed that the Dangote Refinery and other local refiners require uninterrupted access to crude oil in naira to scale up production and reduce pump prices nationwide.

“The fact that import remains the country’s major source of refined products shows that there are still unresolved issues. In the last year, domestic supply championed by Dangote Refinery has made tremendous progress with about 40 per cent of our daily consumption. Dangote Refinery needs 100 per cent access to crude in naira to increase domestic supply and drive down prices at the pump,” he said.

He lamented that despite being Africa’s biggest crude oil producer and host to the continent’s largest refinery, Nigeria still imports about 60 per cent of its daily petrol needs, a situation he described as inconsistent with the country’s energy potential.

The Petroleum.ng chief urged the Federal Government and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission to strengthen policies that guarantee local refineries full access to domestic crude supply.

“Nigeria, the biggest producer of crude in Africa with the biggest refinery in Africa, should not be importing about 60% of its daily fuel consumption; thus, our pump prices should be amongst the lowest in the world.

The FG, through NUPRC, should continue to formulate frameworks that would allow local refiners access to crude 100 per cent. For me, that’s the recipe for availability and affordability,” he added.

punch.ng

FOLLOW US ON:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

PINTEREST

TIKTOK

YOUTUBE

LINKEDIN

TUMBLR

INSTAGRAM

Continue Reading

Trending