The Federal Government has urged the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) to suspend its planned nationwide strike, which is set to begin on Monday, September 8, 2025, over an ongoing dispute with the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
NUPENG had announced last week that its members would “down their tools and start sourcing for alternative employment” from September 8, alleging that Dangote refinery had prevented its compressed natural gas (CNG) tanker drivers from joining labour unions.
Although the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) and the Direct Trucking Company Drivers Association (DTCDA) have distanced themselves from the strike, the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) declared that it would suspend lifting and dispensing of petroleum products for three days, beginning September 9, in solidarity with NUPENG.
Speaking on the crisis in a statement issued on Sunday, Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Dingyadi, appealed to the union to shelve the strike action, warning that it would cripple the petroleum sector and deepen economic hardship for Nigerians.
“I have invited all the parties for a conciliation meeting tomorrow, Monday, September 8, 2025. Since I have intervened, I plead with NUPENG to rescind their decision to shut down the petroleum sector from tomorrow,” Dingyadi said.
He also urged the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to withdraw its “red alert” to affiliate unions to prepare for a solidarity strike.
“The petroleum sector is very important to this country. It constitutes the core of the country’s economy. A strike in the petroleum sector, even for just a day, will have an adverse consequential impact on the economy,” the minister cautioned.
“It will not only lead to heavy revenue losses by the country, running into billions of Naira, but also cause untold hardship and difficulties for Nigerians. Hence, I plead with the unions to give peace a chance. I assure them that this matter will be resolved amicably to the satisfaction of all the parties involved.”
