By Atoyebi Nike
The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) on Tuesday suspended its two-day nationwide strike following a breakthrough meeting with the Federal Government and the Dangote Group.
The industrial action, which caused fuel shortages and long queues in several states, was triggered by allegations that the Dangote Refinery barred employees and tanker drivers from joining recognised oil and gas unions.
At the reconciliation meeting convened by the Minister of Labour, both parties agreed that unionisation is a legal right under Nigeria’s labour laws. Dangote Refinery committed to allowing its refinery and petrochemical workers to join unions, with the process set to be completed within two weeks.
The Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Dangote’s representative, Sayyu Dantata, NUPENG leaders, officials of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, and labour ministry representatives. It also included a clause against victimisation of workers.
Fuel scarcity had worsened earlier in the day, with commuters in cities such as Calabar, Kaduna, Enugu, and Onitsha stranded as fares surged by over 50 percent. Some motorists paid as high as N1,500 per litre from black-market vendors.
NUPENG President Williams Akporeha said the union was not out to sabotage local refining but to ensure fair labour practices. He emphasised that “no employer has the right to enslave workers.”
With the strike called off, fuel loading is expected to resume nationwide from Wednesday.
