NUPENG SUSPENDS STRIKE AFTER DANGOTE REFINERY AGREES TO UNIONISE DRIVERS

The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has suspended its two-day nationwide strike after reaching an agreement with the Dangote Refinery to unionise its drivers. NUPENG President, Williams Akporeha, confirmed the development, saying, “We have suspended the strike. The Dangote refinery has agreed to unionise its drivers. We signed an agreement.”

The agreement was reached at a meeting convened by the Department of State Services (DSS) on Tuesday, where the refinery’s management, led by Sayyu Dantata, committed to allowing its tanker drivers to unionise. According to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by both parties, the unionisation process will commence immediately and be completed within two weeks.

The strike, which began on Monday, 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 has now been resolved, with NUPENG suspending its strike with immediate effect.

The MoU also stipulates that no worker or employee of Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals will be victimised. “The management is not averse to unionisation. We will abide by the provisions of the law and ensure employees who wish to join unions are free to do so without interference,” Dantata said after signing the agreement.

The agreement was signed by representatives of the Dangote Group, NUPENG, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC), the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), and the Ministry of Labour and Employment. The suspension of the strike is expected to bring relief to motorists and businesses, who had been bracing themselves for potential fuel shortages.