The Federal Government has waded into the dispute between the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and Dangote Refinery, urging the union to suspend its planned nationwide strike slated for Monday, September 8, 2025.
Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Dingyadi, announced on Sunday that he has summoned all parties to a conciliation meeting in Abuja to address allegations of anti-unionisation practices at the refinery.
In a statement issued by the ministry’s Head of Information and Public Relations, Patience Onuobia, the Minister appealed to NUPENG to shelve its industrial action and called on the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to withdraw the “red alert” it had issued in solidarity with oil workers.
“I have invited all the parties for a conciliation meeting tomorrow, Monday, September 8, 2025. Since I have intervened, I plead with NUPENG to rescind their decision to shut down the petroleum sector,” Dingyadi said.
Warning that a strike in the petroleum sector would cause nationwide disruption and massive revenue losses, the Minister stressed the importance of dialogue over confrontation.
“The petroleum sector is at the core of the country’s economy. A strike, even for a single day, will lead to billions of naira in losses and untold hardship for Nigerians,” he cautioned.
He assured that the government is committed to brokering peace and finding a resolution that satisfies both the union and Dangote Refinery.
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