Nigeria faces a looming fuel supply crisis as the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), is threatening a nationwide strike commencing Monday over the Dangote Refinery’s controversial fuel distribution strategy.
At the center of the conflict is Dangote’s plan to deploy thousands of compressed natural gas (CNG)-powered trucks to handle direct fuel distribution across the country. The refinery, which had earmarked around 4,000 trucks for the scheme, has already begun recruiting drivers under the condition that they forsake union membership. NUPENG argues that enforcing non-union membership violates the constitutional right to freedom of association and breaches both national labor law and international conventions adopted by Nigeria. The union insists that such practices not only undermine its members but could also pave the way for Dangote to monopolize fuel distribution and weaken competition in the downstream sector. Despite efforts to negotiate—including meetings with refinery representatives—NUPENG says its appeals were ignored, prompting the announcement that its tanker-driver members may halt fuel loading operations Monday, Sept. 8. The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) and the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) have called on President Bola Tinubu and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to intervene urgently. They warn that allowing one refinery to dominate distribution could destabilize the market and worsen scarcity. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has also weighed in, condemning what it described as a broader pattern of anti-union practices within the Dangote Group. The NLC urged the federal government to protect workers’ rights and prevent the concentration of power in one company’s hands. However, some tanker driver associations have distanced themselves from NUPENG’s threat, declaring support for deregulation and pledging to keep fuel supplies flowing regardless of any strike action. With only hours before the deadline, pressure is mounting on the government and industry regulators to broker peace and avert what could become a nationwide fuel crisis.
