The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has suspended its two-day strike following an agreement reached with the Dangote Group and the Federal Government after marathon talks in Abuja. The strike, which had caused widespread fuel supply disruptions in several states, was called off on Tuesday evening.
NUPENG President, Williams Akporeha, confirmed the suspension after a conciliation meeting convened by the Ministry of Labour and Employment. The meeting, chaired by Minister Muhammad Dingyadi, brought together representatives of the Dangote Group led by Sayyu Dantata, officials of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), and leaders of organised labour.
At the end of the talks, the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals agreed to allow its workers to be unionised under existing oil and gas sector unions. According to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed, the process of unionisation will begin immediately and must be concluded within two weeks, between September 9 and 22, 2025. It was also agreed that no parallel or alternative unions would be created by the company and that no worker would face victimisation for participating in the strike.
The MoU was endorsed by representatives of the Dangote Group, NUPENG, NMDPRA, the Ministry of Labour, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), and the Trade Union Congress (TUC). The parties are expected to report back to the labour ministry one week after the conclusion of the unionisation process.
Fuel supply disruptions
The strike, which began on Monday, had paralysed fuel distribution across many states. Depots in Lagos, Delta, Rivers, and other key hubs were shut down, while filling stations in states such as Cross River, Kaduna, Enugu, Anambra, and Gombe either closed operations or sold fuel at sharply higher prices.
In Cross River, transport fares surged as scarcity worsened, with commuters lamenting hikes of over 60 per cent. A short trip that previously cost N300 was raised to N500, while many drivers reportedly resorted to black-market purchases at as much as N1,500 per litre.
In Kaduna, commercial activities were disrupted as major filling stations remained under lock and key. Long queues were reported in scattered independent outlets, with some motorists buying petrol at between N900 and N950 per litre.
A similar situation was observed in Enugu, where many stations shut by noon on Tuesday, forcing commuters to pay double fares. In Anambra, only a few outlets dispensed fuel, leading to severe gridlock around Awka, Onitsha, and Nnewi. Transport fares rose by over 50 per cent within hours.
In Gombe, pump prices spiked to N910–N1,000 per litre. Marketers attributed the hikes to uncertainty in supply, while warning of further increases if depots remained shut. In Sokoto and parts of the North-West, a marginal increase in fuel prices was recorded, though the impact was less severe compared to the South-East and North-Central.
NUPENG had declared its intention to embark on the strike after accusing the Dangote Refinery of preventing drivers recruited for its 4,000 new trucks from joining the union. The refinery, which plans to begin direct fuel distribution nationwide, was alleged to have created an alternative drivers’ association to sideline NUPENG, a move the union described as illegal and anti-labour.
Union leaders argued that such a scheme would not only strip tanker drivers of their rights but also render thousands of existing drivers jobless. “No employer has the right to enslave workers. Everybody wants Dangote to succeed, but he must play by the rules,” Akporeha said earlier during the dispute.
On Monday, the first round of talks between the parties collapsed after Dangote representatives reportedly rejected existing unions. NUPENG officials swiftly enforced compliance nationwide, shutting down depots in Lagos, Warri, Port Harcourt, and other fuel distribution centres.
With Tuesday’s agreement, loading of petroleum products is expected to resume on Wednesday, easing the nationwide disruptions. Labour leaders, however, stressed that they would closely monitor implementation of the MoU to ensure that Dangote Group keeps its commitments.
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