ABUJA — The Department of State Services (DSS) has summoned the management of Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) to an emergency meeting today over escalating tensions surrounding workers’ rights to unionise.
The meeting, scheduled for 3 p.m. in Abuja, will also be attended by representatives of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and other key stakeholders.
On September 9, Dangote and NUPENG signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the DSS headquarters, granting refinery workers the freedom to join any union of their choice. The agreement was witnessed by officials of the NLC, Trade Union Congress (TUC), and senior government officials.
However, less than 24 hours after the signing, NUPENG accused the refinery of violating the pact — a claim the company denied. In a fresh statement issued today, NUPENG alleged that Dangote’s September 11 press release misrepresented facts and sought to weaken the union.
The union claimed management ordered the removal of NUPENG stickers from trucks, replacing them with those of a newly created Direct Trucking Company Drivers Association (DTCDA). It further alleged that individuals behind the DTCDA were disgruntled former members of its Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) Branch who are facing criminal charges.
NUPENG also warned that the company’s offer of free nationwide fuel delivery was a ploy to stifle competition and undermine the union, insisting that both tanker drivers and other refinery staff have been denied their right to freely associate.
Dangote Group has yet to respond to the latest accusations but had earlier stated that membership of any union at its refinery remains voluntary and consistent with Nigerian labour law and International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions.
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