NUPENG Strike Called Off After Dangote Refinery Agrees to Unionization
The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has suspended its nationwide strike after reaching an agreement with Dangote Refinery to allow workers to unionize.
The decision was made after a meeting convened by the Department of State Services (DSS) and attended by the Minister of Finance, as well as representatives from the Nigeria Labour Congress.
According to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by both parties, Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals agreed to allow employees who wish to unionize to do so.
With the process set to commence immediately and be completed within two weeks, from September 9 to September 22, 2025.
The MoU also stipulates that the employer will not set up any other union, and no worker will be victimized as a result of the strike.
The strike, which began on Monday, September 8, 2025, was sparked by allegations that Dangote Refinery was hiring new drivers on the condition that they not join the union.
However, the Company’s Management denied these claims, describing them as “cheap blackmail.”
The dispute led to the shutdown of depots across the country, causing long queues and rising fuel costs in some areas.
The process of unionization will begin immediately and be completed within two weeks.
No worker or employee of Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals will be victimized as a result of the strike.
The employer will not set up any other union. Parties will revert to the Honourable Minister of Labour a week after the conclusion of the engagement.
NUPENG President Williams Akporeha confirmed the suspension of the strike, stating that the agreement marked a significant victory for workers’ rights in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
The Nigeria Labour Congress and other labor unions welcomed the agreement, which they see as a major step forward for workers’ rights in the Country.
The agreement brings relief to motorists and businesses who had been bracing themselves for potential fuel shortages.
Dangote Refinery had maintained that there was no fuel shortage, despite the strike, and that talks were ongoing to resolve the dispute.
