By Victor Ahiuma-Young
The Federal Government has directed the management of Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Company and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, to fully implement the September 9 agreement on workers’ right to join a union of their choice.
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The directive followed the second intervention in four days by the Department of State Services, DSS, in the escalating face-off between the refinery and NUPENG.
Vanguard gathered that the order was issued at a meeting held on Thursday at the DSS headquarters in Abuja.
The session was attended by the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha; representatives of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA; the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC; NUPENG leaders; and the Dangote management team led by Mr. Sayyu Dantata, Group Managing Director.
According to sources at the meeting, government officials expressed displeasure over reports that agents of the company were allegedly removing NUPENG stickers from trucks and granting access only to vehicles affiliated with the Direct Trucking Company Drivers Association, DTCDA, believed to have been sponsored by the refinery.
The government reportedly warned that such actions were the main cause of renewed hostilities and urged both parties to adhere strictly to the memorandum of understanding, MoU.
The September 9 MoU, which was signed by representatives of Dangote management, NUPENG, the NLC, the Trade Union Congress (TUC), NMDPRA and the Ministry of Labour, affirmed that unionisation is a fundamental right of workers at the refinery. It directed that the process of enrolling employees into the union be completed between September 9 and 22, 2025.
The pact also forbids the creation of employer-sponsored or alternative unions, guarantees that no worker will be victimised for joining the strike or supporting unionisation, and mandates that both parties report back to the Minister of Labour a week after the exercise is concluded.
Sources said the DSS and the Ministry of Labour made it clear that there would be no tolerance for further breaches and urged immediate compliance with the accord to restore industrial harmony.
DSS had summoned the management of Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals and leadership NUPENG, to an emergency meeting following rising tension over an alleged breach of an agreement on workers’ right to belong the union of their choice.
On September 11, after the signing of the MoU, NUPENG accused Dangote’s management of violating the pact — an allegation the company denied.
As of press time, neither the refinery management nor NUPENG had issued an official statement on the latest directive.
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