The Department of State Services (DSS) has called an emergency meeting with Dangote Refinery management and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) following renewed tensions over workers’ rights to unionise. The meeting, scheduled for Friday afternoon in Abuja, will also include representatives of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and other stakeholders.
On September 9, Dangote and NUPENG signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the DSS headquarters, granting refinery workers freedom to join any union of their choice. The signing was witnessed by labour leaders, government officials, and representatives of the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
However, less than 24 hours later, NUPENG accused Dangote of breaching the pact — a claim the company denied. In a statement on Thursday, NUPENG leaders alleged that Dangote’s September 11 press release misrepresented the agreement and aimed to “crush” the union.
The union further accused the refinery of ordering the removal of NUPENG stickers from company trucks and replacing them with those of the Direct Trucking Company Drivers Association (DTCDA), which NUPENG described as a management-backed rival body. The statement also alleged that individuals linked to the DTCDA face pending criminal charges.
NUPENG warned that Dangote’s offer of free nationwide fuel delivery was a strategy to weaken competition and compel drivers into the DTCDA, ultimately undermining workers’ rights. It also claimed that employees in Dangote’s cement and sugar plants are barred from unionising.
As of press time, Dangote Group had not responded to the latest allegations. In its earlier statement, the company said workers’ association with any trade union remains voluntary, in line with Nigerian law and International Labour Organisation conventions.