Less than two days after the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) halted its strike, the union has accused Dangote Refinery of failing to honor agreed-upon terms.
In a statement co-signed by NUPENG President Williams Akporeha and General Secretary Afolabi Olawale, the union expressed readiness to restart its nationwide industrial action due to the refinery’s alleged breach of commitments.
“We are by this statement placing all our members on red alert for the resumption of the suspended nationwide industrial action and calling on the Nigeria Labour Congress, Trade 1 Support Our Dream Union Congress, all regional and global working people, and civil society organisations to rise in support and solidarity against this threat of the capitalist world,” the statement read.
NUPENG claimed that during a meeting facilitated by the Department of State Services (DSS), attended by Finance Minister Wale Edun and Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) representatives, Dangote Refinery agreed to recognize workers’ rights to unionize.
However, the union alleged that truck drivers, long-standing members of NUPENG’s Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) branch, were recently instructed to remove union stickers from their vehicles, in defiance of the agreement.
“We call on the Federal Government not to allow the Navy and other security agents who are paid by the resources of this country to be used with impunity against the laws and people of this country.,” NUPENG stated.
It added that “No individual should be allowed to act with impunity, disregarding agreements facilitated by security agents and government ministers.”
It would be recalled that the initial strike was suspended on Tuesday after a closed-door meeting, convened by the DSS, where Dangote Refinery agreed to respect workers’ unionization rights.
The meeting included representatives from labor unions, the Dangote Group, and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, which held a conciliation session on September 8, 2025. NLC Acting General Secretary Benson Upah confirmed the agreement, noting that the Ministry of Labour would soon release an official statement.
