The Department of State Services (DSS) has summoned the management of Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) to an emergency meeting following renewed tensions over alleged violations of a labour agreement.
The meeting, scheduled for 3 p.m. on Friday in Abuja, will also be attended by representatives of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), and government officials.
On September 9, both parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the DSS headquarters, granting refinery workers the freedom to join any union of their choice without interference. The signing was witnessed by labour leaders, ministers, and key stakeholders.
However, less than 24 hours later, NUPENG accused Dangote’s management of breaching the pact — an allegation the company denied. On Thursday, the union again faulted Dangote Refinery’s press statement of September 11, describing it as “misleading” and “aimed at crushing NUPENG and stifling competition.”
NUPENG leaders Prince Williams Akporeha and Afolabi Olawale alleged that the refinery ordered the removal of NUPENG stickers from trucks and replaced them with the insignia of the Direct Trucking Company Drivers Association (DTCDA), which the union claims was created by Dangote to weaken its influence.
The union further accused individuals who had repeatedly lost elections in the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) Branch since 2023 of now serving as spokespersons for the DTCDA, with some granting media interviews in favour of the company. NUPENG alleged that several of them are facing criminal charges (Charge No. CR/042/23) at the FCT High Court for violent crimes, including an assassination attempt on its leaders. It recalled that its General Secretary was once beaten into a coma during an attack linked to the crisis.
“Nigerians must not be deceived by the company’s offer of free nationwide fuel delivery. This move is aimed at discouraging other employers from hiring tanker drivers so that only Dangote-employed drivers — compelled to join the DTCDA — will remain in the workforce,” the statement said.
The union also alleged that operational and administrative staff of the refinery have been obstructed from unionising, pointing out that Dangote Group has a record of prohibiting union activities in its cement and sugar plants.
As of press time, Dangote Group had yet to respond to the latest allegations. Its earlier statement maintained that association with any trade union at its refinery remains strictly voluntary, in line with Nigerian law and International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions.
