Labour Vs Dangote: NLC Joins Forces With NUPENG In Fiery Strike Showdown

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has thrown its weight behind the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) in its escalating clash with the Dangote Refinery over fuel distribution.

In a statement issued on Saturday and signed by its president, Comrade Joe Ajaero, the NLC insisted that Nigerian workers cannot be sacrificed for corporate greed, stressing that its solidarity with NUPENG is “non-negotiable.”

The standoff, which could disrupt petroleum supply across the country, began after NUPENG ordered its Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) to stop lifting products from Dangote depots starting Monday, September 8.

At the heart of the dispute is Dangote Refinery’s alleged policy barring drivers of its 10,000 compressed natural gas (CNG) trucks from joining trade unions.

The NLC said it had carefully reviewed NUPENG’s petition and raised alarm over what it described as Dangote’s anti-union practices, monopolistic agenda, and unfair labour relations. It also noted that complaints had been received from other unions accusing the Dangote Group of similar practices.

According to the Congress, Dangote has been systematically denying workers their constitutional right to free association, coercing them into “company unions” designed to weaken collective bargaining.

“The revelations contained in NUPENG’s statement represent not just an attack on petroleum workers, but a full-blown declaration of war against the Nigerian working class, trade unionism, and the principle of decent work,” the NLC said.

It accused the conglomerate of union-busting, exploitative labour policies, and monopolistic control that hurts both workers and Nigerians at large, adding that Dangote Refinery pays some of the lowest wages in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.

The union warned that unless Dangote halts what it termed its “anti-union and anti-people agenda,” more decisive actions would follow.