The National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has shut down fuel loading operations at major depots nationwide, paralyzing the distribution of petroleum products and raising fears of an imminent fuel scarcity crisis.
The action, which began on Monday, September 8, persists despite marathon reconciliation talks mediated by the Federal Government that ended in a deadlock early Tuesday morning, leaving millions of Nigerians bracing for potential economic disruptions.
The strike, declared by NUPENG last Friday, stems from allegations that the Dangote Group, led by Africa's richest man Aliko Dangote, is implementing anti-union policies at its massive 650,000-barrels-per-day refinery in Lekki, Lagos.
At the heart of the conflict is the company's plan to deploy a fleet of 4,000 compressed natural gas (CNG)-powered trucks for direct fuel distribution, with drivers reportedly required to sign agreements barring them from joining established unions like NUPENG.
Union leaders, including NUPENG President Williams Akporeha, have decried this as "modern-day slavery" and a blatant violation of Nigerian labor laws, including Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees the right to freedom of association, as well as international conventions ratified by Nigeria under the International Labour Organization (ILO).
"We cannot allow an investor to enslave Nigerian workers or monopolize the sector at the expense of our rights and the economy," Akporeha stated in a fiery address following the failed talks.
He accused Dangote representatives of walking out of the negotiations, labeling their stance "dictatorial" and insisting that the strike would continue until full union recognition is granted.
The union has directed its Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) branch to withdraw all services, effectively grounding trucks and halting fuel supplies from key depots in Lagos, Warri, Port Harcourt, and Delta State.
The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Labour and Employment, convened an emergency consultative meeting on Monday afternoon in Abuja, chaired by Minister Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi.
Attendees included NUPENG executives, representatives from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), officials from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), and executives from the Dangote Group and MRS Petroleum.
Originally scheduled for 10 a.m., the session dragged on for over 12 hours, starting late after 5 p.m. due to delays in NUPENG's arrival.
Despite initial progress—sources indicate Dangote conceded on allowing optional union membership—the talks collapsed over disagreements on the wording of a potential communiqué, with both sides unable to bridge the gap on mandatory unionization.
Dingyadi, emerging from the meeting in the early hours of Tuesday, urged calm and appealed for restraint.
"We are here to reconcile our labor unions and employers in the Dangote Group. This is not the first dispute of this kind, and we remain committed to dialogue," he said.
However, no official resolution was announced, and NUPENG confirmed the action would intensify.
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