The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has launched an attack on Dangote Petroleum Refinery, accusing the company of orchestrating a systematic campaign to weaken the union and deny workers their right to organize.
In a press statement released Friday, September 12, 2025, NUPENG leadership dismissed Dangote’s recent public statements as part of a “school of falsification” designed to mislead Nigerians and create artificial divisions within the labor movement.
NUPENG National Executive President Prince Williams Akporeha and General Secretary Afolabi Olawale accused the refinery of being “an epitome of unconscionable capitalist network built on falsehood” aimed at crushing their union and eliminating competition in fuel pricing.
“The mischievous attempt to create an illusion and misinformation of division within our Union is not only malicious but unfounded fabricated lie from the pit of hell,” the union leaders stated.
The controversy centers around Dangote’s recent claims about divisions within NUPENG’s Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) branch, which the union vehemently denies.
According to NUPENG, despite signing a Memorandum of Understanding on September 9, 2025, that recognized the company’s “initial resistance to allowing freedom of Association,” Dangote Refinery directed on September 11 that all NUPENG stickers be removed from trucks and replaced with stickers from a company-created association called the Direct Trucking Company Drivers Association (DTCDA).
“Our members have stoutly resisted this development,” the union declared, describing the move as a violation of workers’ rights to freedom of association.
NUPENG accused Dangote of sponsoring individuals with criminal records to undermine the union. The statement specifically named:
Dayyabu Garga, who allegedly spoke on BBC Hausa supporting Dangote’s anti-union efforts, described as “serial number three (3) on the Criminal Charge sheet”
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Sylvanus Idanwekhai, who appeared on TVC Television for similar purposes, identified as “serial number fourteen (14) on CHARGE NO – CR/042/23 at the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja for violent crimes committed in attempting to assassinate elected and appointed leaders of the PTD Branch and NUPENG”
The union claimed these individuals were involved in a violent attack that left NUPENG’s General Secretary beaten into a coma and hospitalized.
NUPENG characterized Dangote’s offer of free nationwide delivery of petroleum products to dispensing stations as a “Greek gift” designed to monopolize truck driver employment and force workers into the company-controlled DTCDA.
“Everything is targeted at crushing NUPENG and its PTD Branch,” the union alleged, warning that the strategy would deny other petroleum truck driver employers the ability to hire drivers independently.
Beyond the immediate dispute, NUPENG accused Dangote Group of maintaining a broader anti-union stance across its operations.
“It is on record that DANGOTE Group does not allow unionization of workers in all its cement and sugar plants across Nigeria,” the statement claimed, calling on Nigerians to reject work arrangements that deny workers their rights to freedom of association.
The union issued a stark warning about potential consequences of the ongoing dispute: “The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers is alerting the whole world that nothing untoward should happen to any of our leaders championing this struggle because we know how desperate and destructive capitalists with filthy wealth can be when cornered and exposed.”
Dangote Petroleum Refinery had not responded to requests for comment on NUPENG’s allegations at the time of publication. The company’s September 11 press statement, which NUPENG referenced as the catalyst for this dispute, has not been made publicly available.
