The Federal Government has intervened in the ongoing face-off between the Dangote Group and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG).
FG has now summoned a meeting of both parties in Abuja today.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammadu Dingyadi, called the meeting in a last-minute effort to halt a nationwide strike set to begin today, already endorsed by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
NUPENG accuses Dangote of anti-union practices, monopolistic tendencies, and indecent labour conditions, alleging that the refinery pays some of the lowest wages in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector. The union further condemned a new policy barring drivers from joining oil and gas unions, describing it as a violation of the Nigerian Constitution, the Labour Act, and international labour conventions.
“This marks a dangerous road to fascism in industrial relations, where workers are treated as slaves without voice or dignity,” the union warned.
Despite the minister’s intervention, NUPENG leaders have directed members nationwide to commence the strike pending resolution of all grievances.
An official said: “Though we will attend the meeting to show readiness for dialogue, the strike goes on until all the issues are resolved.”
The crisis deepened over the creation of the Direct Trucking Company Drivers Association (DTCDA), which NUPENG dismissed as a “management-inspired fraud” designed to weaken and divide workers. The union insists that Dangote and his associates are behind the association, linking its operations to MRS Energy Limited.
Amid mounting tension, the NLC has rallied its 54 affiliates and 36 state councils to prepare for solidarity action. President Joe Ajaero warned that Dangote’s actions represent a direct attack on the entire Nigerian labour movement.
“An attack on one union is an attack on all. If we allow the Dangote Group to succeed, no industry or worker in Nigeria will be safe. It will set a perilous precedent that capital is above the law,” Ajaero said.
The NLC has ordered immediate mobilisation and sensitisation of workers nationwide, cautioning that the strike will first hit fuel supply chains, with filling stations already experiencing queues and rising black-market prices. Economists warn that prolonged disruption could cripple transport, power, and manufacturing, worsening inflation and economic hardship.
In Edo State, the NLC has declared full support for the strike, urging residents to stock up on fuel ahead of the action.
“The Edo council will mobilise all affiliates in solidarity. We advise workers and the public to get petroleum products that will last the duration of this industrial action, as filling stations will be closed,” the statement read.
The outcome of today’s Abuja meeting will determine whether the strike is called off or escalates into a nationwide shutdown.
