The Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas
Workers (NUPENG) has suspended its two-day strike following an agreement
with the Dangote Group to allow employees of the Dangote Refinery and
Petrochemicals to unionise.
The deal was reached at a closed-door meeting in Abuja
on Tuesday, convened by the Department of State Services (DSS) and
attended by the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, representatives of the Nigeria
Labour Congress (NLC), and officials of the Federal Ministry of Labour
and Employment.
According to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
signed at the meeting, both parties recognised that unionisation is a right
under Nigeria’s labour laws. The Dangote management agreed that employees
willing to join unions would be allowed to do so without interference.
Unionization to Be Completed Within Two
Weeks
The MoU stated that the unionization process would
begin immediately and be completed within two weeks, between September 9 and
22, 2025. It also stipulated that no alternative union would be set up and
that no worker would face victimization for union-related activities.
In line with the agreement, NUPENG announced the
suspension of its strike with immediate effect, while all parties are expected
to report back to the Minister of Labour one week after the completion
of the exercise.
The memorandum was signed by Sayyu Dantata,
Managing Director of Dangote Group; O.K. Ukoha of the Nigerian Midstream
and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA); Ojimba Jibrin
for Dangote Group; Benson Upah of the NLC; N.A. Toro for the TUC;
Akporeha Williams, President of NUPENG; Afolabi Olawale, NUPENG
General Secretary; and Amos Falonipe of the Federal Ministry of Labour
and Employment.
Background
NUPENG had embarked on the strike on Monday, accusing
the refinery of recruiting new drivers on the condition that they not join the
union. An earlier reconciliation meeting convened by Labour Minister Muhammad
Dingyadi had ended in deadlock.
Commissioned in 2024, the 650,000 barrels-per-day Dangote Refinery is Africa’s largest and was designed to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported petrol. While it has lowered fuel prices and reshaped the downstream sector, critics warn of monopoly risks due to its dominant position in the market.
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