The Federal Government has directed Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Company to fully implement the September 9 agreement with the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), affirming workers’ right to join a union of their choice.
The directive followed the Department of State Services’ (DSS) second intervention in four days over the refinery–union standoff.
At a meeting held Thursday at DSS headquarters in Abuja, officials expressed concern over alleged violations of the pact. In attendance were Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha; Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) officials; representatives of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC); NUPENG leaders; and Dangote’s management team led by Group Managing Director, Sayyu Dantata.
Government sources said they were displeased over reports that company agents allegedly removed NUPENG stickers from trucks while favouring vehicles linked to the Direct Trucking Company Drivers Association (DTCDA), described as refinery-sponsored.
The September 9 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed by Dangote, NUPENG, NLC, TUC, NMDPRA, and the Labour Ministry, recognised unionisation as a fundamental right of refinery workers. It stipulated that the union enrolment process be concluded between September 9 and 22, 2025, forbade employer-sponsored unions, protected workers from victimisation, and required both parties to brief the Labour Minister a week after the exercise.
The DSS and Labour Ministry reportedly warned that further breaches would not be tolerated and demanded immediate compliance to restore industrial harmony.
NUPENG had on September 11 accused Dangote of violating the MoU — an allegation the company denied. As at press time, neither side had issued an official response to the government’s latest directive.
