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The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has urged Nigerians not to be deceived by Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals’ offer of free nationwide delivery of petroleum products to dispensing stations, describing the offer as a Greek gift aimed at crushing competition.
This is even as the union described the Dangote Group, owner of the 650,000 barrels per day refinery as an epitome of an unconscionable capitalist network, set up to crush competition, all with the ultimate goal of increasing fuel prices in the long run.
This is according to a statement by NUPENG President Akporeha Williams and General Secretary Afolabi Olawale titled “Dangote Petroleum Refinery’s School Of Falsification Exposed” by NUPENG on Friday, September 12, 2025.
This is the latest in the face-off between the union and the refinery.
The union and Dangote Refinery have been engaged in a running battle over the alleged refusal of the refinery to allow its drivers to join NUPENG.
This led to a strike action by NUPENG which was only resolved by the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
Shortly after the strike was called off, the union again raised alarm that Dangote Refinery has reneged on the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between both parties, while threatening to resume the suspended strike.
Reacting, Dangote Refinery noted that unionisation is a voluntary decision and not compulsory, while stressing that it neither interferes with nor restricts its employees’ right to freely join legally recognised trade unions.
It decried the distortion of facts by NUPENG concerning the refinery’s trade relations with its workforce.
In a counter statement, NUPENG noted that the press statement by Dangote Petroleum Refinery dated 11th September 2025 has further confirmed that the Dangote Group is an epitome of unconscionable capitalist network built on falsehood to hoodwink the gullible to crush our union—NUPENG as well as crushing competition, all with the ultimate goal of increasing fuel price on the long run.
“Nigerians should not be deceived by the offer of free nationwide delivery of petroleum products to dispensing stations. It is a Greek gift to ensure that other employers of Petroleum Truck Drivers are unable to employ drivers, so that only those employed by the company who are forced to join the DTCDA will remain in employment. Everything is targeted at crushing NUPENG and its PTD Branch.
“It is also noteworthy to state here that, aside from the Petroleum Tanker Drivers, there are other operational and administrative workers of Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Company which the management has been preventing and obstructing their rights of belonging to the Union. It is on record that DANGOTE Group does not allow unionization of workers in all its cement and sugar plants across Nigeria.
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“Nigerians should not support a work arrangement in which drivers and other workers in the Dangote Group will be denied the right to enjoy freedom of association and unionisation.
“The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers is alerting the whole world that nothing untoward should happen to any of our leaders championing this struggle because we know how desperate and destructive capitalists with filthy wealth can be when cornered and exposed.
The union reiterated that Dangote Refinery also falsely denies it does not stop its truck drivers from belonging to NUPENG while clarifying that the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on 9th September 2025 is predicated upon a recognition of the company’s resistance to unionisation.
“The birth of the MoU is therefore a confirmation of initial resistance to allowing freedom of Association. Despite the MoU of 9th September 2025, on the 11th of September 2025, the Dangote Refinery directed that the stickers of NUPENG be removed from all trucks to be replaced by the sticker of the Association, the Direct Trucking Company Drivers Association (DTCDA) formed by the Management.
“Our members have stoutly resisted this development. The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has been sponsoring division within the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) Branch of our Union since 2023.
“The company’s agents within our union have been losing elections. It is those who have been losing elections in the PTD Branch of NUPENG that are being recruited to form the ill-fated Direct Trucking Company Drivers Association (DTCDA).
“The company’s agents who have been losing elections in the PTD Branch of NUPENG are among those granting media interviews in support of the company” the union stated.
By: Babajide Okeowo
The post Don’t be deceived by offer of free petroleum products delivery, it’s a Greek gift, NUPENG tells Nigerians appeared first on Latest Nigeria News | Top Stories from Ripples Nigeria.
