Lagos, Nigeria — Africa’s richest man and President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has raised concerns over rising fuel costs in Nigeria, attributing part of the blame to alleged levies imposed by the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) on trucks loading products from his refinery.
Dangote claimed that NUPENG is collecting fees of up to ₦50,000 per truck at the loading point — a practice he warned is directly contributing to the hike in fuel pump prices, with the financial burden ultimately falling on Nigerian consumers.
“There are several charges here. When a truck is going to load, NUPENG has been collecting about ₦48,000 to ₦50,000 per truck. By the time other charges are added, the total comes to around ₦80,000 to ₦84,000. Who pays for that? The consumer does,” Dangote said during a recent media interaction.
While NUPENG has neither confirmed nor denied the allegations, industry observers have questioned the legality of such fees, describing them as arbitrary and economically harmful.
Dispute Over Truck Driver Unionization
Dangote’s comments come amid tensions between his company and NUPENG regarding the unionization of drivers operating the newly deployed 4,000 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)-powered trucks under the Dangote fleet. NUPENG has accused the company of preventing these drivers from joining the union — a claim Dangote firmly denies.
“We are not against unions. We’ve made it clear: if any of our workers want to join, they are free to do so. But it must be voluntary. Union membership, like religion, cannot be forced,” he said.
He also criticized what he described as “rent-seeking practices” that discourage operational efficiency and increase the cost of doing business in the sector.
Union Responds with Ambiguity
When contacted, NUPENG President Williams Akporeha offered a cryptic response to the allegations, stating: “₦50k now? No more ₦1 per litre?” — referencing earlier controversies over a purported ₦1/litre union charge.
In prior statements, Akporeha had dismissed such claims, challenging critics to provide evidence:
“One can’t stop people from having their opinion. Ask those who allege to provide proof.”
Depot Blockades and Court Orders
The controversy follows a recent standoff where NUPENG temporarily shut down fuel depots and blockaded the Dangote Refinery over disputes concerning driver unionization. Although a Memorandum of Understanding was reached following federal government intervention, tensions have persisted.
An industrial court in Abuja has since issued a restraining order against further blockades by the union.
Industry Experts Call for Clarity and Reform
Legal and energy sector experts have weighed in on the issue, questioning whether NUPENG is operating outside its legal remit.
“The role of a union is to protect its members’ interests, not to impose levies or function as a tax authority,” said Prof. Dayo Ayoade, an energy law specialist. “If these charges are real, they should be regulated or eliminated. Otherwise, it’s the consumer who pays — again.”
He also supported Dangote’s decision to operate a dedicated in-house logistics network:
“When truck operations are union-independent, no single entity can hold the entire sector hostage. Competition and transparency must prevail.”
Fuel Pricing and Energy Transition at Risk
Analysts warn that hidden costs like these act as informal taxes on energy, inflating fuel prices already strained by forex challenges and high distribution costs. This, they say, risks undermining the federal government’s goals of price stabilization and increased adoption of alternative fuels like CNG.
In response, the Dangote Group has invested in 4,000 CNG-powered trucks to distribute petroleum products nationwide. The move is aimed at reducing diesel dependency, controlling logistics costs, and reinforcing the group’s commitment to Nigeria’s energy transition.
Call for Government Oversight
Stakeholders are now calling on the federal government to:
Investigate the allegations of illegal levies;
Establish a transparent regulatory framework for depot loading operations;
Ensure a fair balance between protecting workers’ rights and shielding consumers from arbitrary fees.
As the refinery begins large-scale operations, the outcome of this dispute may shape public trust and investor confidence in Nigeria’s refining and downstream sectors.
