The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has thrown its weight behind the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) in a growing dispute with the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, warning that continued anti-union policies could trigger nationwide industrial action.
The dispute stems from Dangote Refinery’s plan to deploy thousands of compressed natural gas-powered trucks for fuel distribution, with drivers reportedly compelled to sign agreements barring them from joining trade unions. NUPENG described the move as a violation of workers’ constitutional rights and has threatened to halt fuel loading operations from Monday, September 8, 2025.
In a statement on Saturday, NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, condemned the Dangote Group’s alleged “crude and dangerous” labour practices, accusing the conglomerate of paying some of the lowest wages in the sector, casualising workers, promoting unsafe conditions, and denying employees the right to unionise.
“The revelations contained in NUPENG’s statement represent not just an attack on petroleum workers but a full-blown declaration of war against trade unionism and the principle of decent work,” the NLC said. It also alleged a wider pattern of anti-labour practices across Dangote’s cement, sugar, and flour subsidiaries.
The congress further criticised the preference for foreign hires over qualified Nigerians, recalling previous cases where welders and fitters were brought in from India while local professionals remained jobless. Such practices, it said, amount to exploitation and monopolistic control, contrary to the promises of job creation and national development tied to the refinery project.
The NLC warned that if unchecked, the refinery’s stance could set a dangerous precedent for other corporations to undermine Nigerian labour laws and international conventions on workers’ rights. It declared that Nigerian workers and unions were now on “red alert” and pledged full support for NUPENG’s planned strike if the refinery does not back down.
“The attack on NUPENG is an attack on us all. Nigerian workers are not slaves and cannot be serially abused without consequences,” the NLC stressed, demanding an immediate halt to anti-union measures and full compliance with labour laws.
Meanwhile, NUPENG revealed it had earlier engaged Dangote and Alhaji Sayyu Aliu Dantata’s MRS Oil to reverse the no-union policy, but claimed its appeals were ignored. The union expressed dismay that new drivers recruited for the imported trucks were being forced to renounce union membership as a condition for employment.
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