Petrol station workers operating under the umbrella of the Concerned Petrol Station Workers have rejected plans by AA Rano to introduce what the company has described as Nigeria’s first fully automated, unmanned fuel stations.
The workers warned that the proposed initiative, if rolled out without proper safeguards, could worsen unemployment and fuel insecurity across the country.
AA Rano recently announced plans to deploy the automated stations this January, explaining that the facilities would operate a 24-hour self-service fuelling system.
The company said the outlets would rely on contactless payment systems, real-time monitoring technology and automated fuel dispensers, removing the need for on-site pump attendants.
Reacting to the announcement, the convener of the Concerned Petrol Station Workers and labour rights advocate, Comrade Ibrahim Zango, voiced strong opposition to the plan.
In a statement released in Kaduna on Thursday, Zango said the move could deprive thousands of young Nigerians working as petrol attendants of their source of income.
He argued that the timing of the initiative was inappropriate, given the country’s economic difficulties, rising cost of living and growing unemployment.
“At a time when Nigeria is battling mass unemployment, escalating living costs and worsening insecurity, introducing job-displacing technology without protective measures is risky,” Zango said.
He urged key stakeholders to weigh the social consequences of the innovation, noting that many households depend on earnings from petrol station jobs.
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“Consider the number of AA Rano stations across the country and even beyond our borders, and the number of attendants who rely on these jobs to survive,” he added.
Zango further noted that many attendants have spent decades working in the sector and should not be discarded without a clear transition or support plan.
“For those of us who have done this work for years, pushing us out without solid alternatives will only deepen the country’s existing problems,” he said.
While acknowledging the importance of technological progress, the workers’ leader stressed that innovation should not come at the expense of workers’ welfare.
He maintained that automation in the downstream petroleum sector should be structured to create new opportunities rather than eliminate existing livelihoods.
Zango also called on the Federal Government and relevant regulatory bodies to urgently develop policies that strike a balance between technological advancement and labour protection.
He appealed to AA Rano’s management to demonstrate social responsibility, noting that many petrol station attendants today started from humble beginnings similar to that of the company’s leadership.
“They should not be forced out of their means of livelihood under the guise of innovation,” Zango said, calling for dialogue between the company, workers and regulators before the project is implemented.
