Dangote Refinery: IPMAN, Tanker Drivers Distance Themselves from NUPENG Strike Threat

Tensions in Nigeria’s downstream oil and gas sector escalated on Sunday as the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) and the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) openly rejected a nationwide strike call issued by the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) over alleged anti-union practices at Dangote Refinery.

NUPENG has accused Aliko Dangote and his cousin Sayyu Dantata of preventing newly recruited drivers of compressed natural gas (CNG) trucks from joining recognised unions, instead compelling them to form company-controlled associations. The union warned that the plan to deploy 4,000 CNG trucks nationwide could sideline its Petroleum Tanker Drivers branch, weaken labour influence, and strip workers of their rights.

But IPMAN’s National Executive Council dismissed a strike threat earlier issued by its Western Zone, declaring full support for Dangote Refinery. National Ex-Officio Douglas Iyike argued that the refinery’s operations are lawful under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and would ease pressures on independent marketers through direct supply and credit arrangements.

Similarly, PTD leaders in Warri and Port Harcourt, Blessing Dafinone and Joseph Dagogo-Jack, urged members to ignore the strike notice, describing it as “insensitive, callous, and unacceptable.” They maintained that union membership is voluntary and commended Dangote’s CNG truck initiative as a step toward efficiency and stability.

Despite the opposition, NUPENG leaders insisted the refinery’s recruitment practices were “exploitative” and vowed to mobilise action if the alleged anti-union policies continue. The union urged regulators and the Federal Government to intervene, warning that failure to act could trigger widespread unrest in the sector.

The split among NUPENG, IPMAN, and PTD underscores the shifting power dynamics in Nigeria’s downstream industry as Dangote’s vertically integrated model challenges decades-old distribution networks. While supporters see it as a solution to recurring fuel scarcity, critics fear it could weaken labour unions and concentrate market power in a single operator.