The Department of State Services (DSS) has summoned the management of Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals alongside the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) to an emergency meeting amid escalating tensions over workers’ rights.
According to reports, the closed-door meeting — slated for 3 p.m. Friday — will also involve the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), government ministers, and other key stakeholders.
This development comes just days after Dangote and NUPENG signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the DSS headquarters in Abuja. The agreement, witnessed by the NLC, Trade Union Congress (TUC), and government representatives, granted workers the freedom to join unions of their choice without interference.
But the fragile peace quickly unraveled. Barely 24 hours later, NUPENG accused Dangote’s management of violating the pact — a claim the company strongly denied. By Friday morning, the union doubled down, accusing Dangote Group of “being economical with the truth.”
In a fiery statement signed by NUPENG President Prince Williams Akporeha and General Secretary Afolabi Olawale, the union alleged that the refinery was attempting to “crush NUPENG, stifle competition, and ultimately drive up fuel prices.”
The union further claimed that Dangote’s management ordered the removal of NUPENG stickers from trucks, replacing them with those of the Direct Trucking Company Drivers Association (DTCDA), a body it alleges was created by the company to weaken union influence.
“The so-called faction of tanker drivers does not exist,” the statement read. “If it did, Dangote should have convinced them to call off the nationwide strike of Petroleum Tanker Drivers, which was 100% successful.”
NUPENG also accused individuals aligned with the DTCDA of facing criminal charges, including attempted assassination of union leaders, while continuing to serve as company-backed spokespersons in the media.
The union warned Nigerians not to be misled by Dangote’s recent offer of free nationwide fuel delivery, claiming it was a strategy to dominate the sector and force drivers into the DTCDA.
Beyond tanker drivers, NUPENG pointed to a broader pattern, alleging that Dangote Group has long obstructed unionisation across its operations, including its cement and sugar plants.
“Nigerians must not support any arrangement that denies workers their right to freedom of association,” the statement stressed.
The DSS intervention is expected to determine the next course of action as labour unrest continues to mount in the petroleum sector.
