...says no going back on Monday’s strike
….tells Nigerians to ignore truck drivers’ association
…..IPMAN distances self from the strike
The Federal Government through the Minister of Labour and Employment, has summoned the management of Dangote group and the leadership of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, to an emergency meeting on Monday, September 8, in a frantic efforts to halt the planned nationwide strike over alleged anti-union policy among others.
The oil workers have already announced a commencement of a total strike from Monday, which has been endorsed by the Nigeria Kabour Congress, NLC.
Meanwhile, NLC has written to its over 54 affiliates and 36 councils to prepare to join the strike, saying the battle, among others, is the survival of Labour movement and dignity of workers.
The strike raises fears of fuel scarcity, economic paralysis, and social unrest if the issues raised by NUPENG and NLC are not resolved quickly.
The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, has explained that it is embarking on strike action on Monday, September 8, 2025, because Dangote Refinery and its management want to bring back slavery into Nigeria’s workforce.
The union made its position known in a statement released on Sunday, signed by Williams Akporeha and Afolabi Olufemi, President and General Secretary.
NUPENG had last week asked members to down tools over anti-labour activities by Dangote Refinery.
However, stakeholders including the Petrol Tanker Drivers and the Direct Trucking Company Drivers Association, DTCDA, have kicked against NUPENG’s planned strike.
But in update on Sunday, NUPENG insisted that Dangote-sponsored groups cannot stop its planned strike action.
According to NUPENG, DTCDA is the recruiting company that was formed by Alhaji Sayyu Aliu Dantata and Alhaji Aliko Dangote for the 10,000 CNG trucks they are importing.
It dismissed DTCDA as an unauthorised union for tanker drivers.
“For the information of the public, the DTCDA is the association which the Dangote Group of Companies has formed for the drivers to join compulsorily rather than allowing drivers to join NUPENG, which is the only statutorily recognised union authorised to unionise petroleum tanker drivers.
“Slavery ended centuries ago, but some unscrupulous capitalists are making efforts to bring it back. Any worker who cannot exercise the right of association is no better than a slave.
“Ordinary Nigerians should neither encourage nor support slavish working conditions,” parts of the statement read.
IPMAN distances self from the Monday strike
National Leadership of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), on Sunday, distanced itself from a strike called by the Western Zone of the association.
It explained that the decision was informed by the need to back the Petroleum Tanker Drivers’ opposition to Dangote acquiring trucks to transport its products to users.
Recall that the Western Zonal IPMAN in a press statement signed by its Chairman and Acting Secretary, Basorun Joseph Akanni and Mr. Adeleke Adeoye said Dangote’s intention contravenes the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and urged its members to begin a strike on Monday.
However, a statement by the National Ex-Officio, Douglas Iyike on behalf of the National Executive Council (NEC) of IPMAN urged its members to disregard the strike action.
IPMAN noted that what Dangote was doing is a huge assistance to marketers which it said would free them from multiple and choking levies they are forced to pay by petroleum tanker drivers.
He also said that the action of Dangote is supported by the PIA.
According to Iyike “I am refuting this story as the Former chairman of IPMAN Benin Depot and presently the National Ex-Officio of IPMAN.
“That IPMAN National Executive Council NEC under the leadership of Alahji Maigandi Shittima is not aware of such a preconceived action by the IPMAN Western Zone to make such a pronouncement of IPMAN Western Zone going on strike by Monday.
“And as you would know, the PIA bill has given the room for any individual to own a refinery in the country and have your own trucks to distribute your products and even build petrol stations if you choose to where your products can be dispense to the general public, so Dangote has not done any harm but good to we marketers and to the general public.
“Howbeit, I want to state unequivocally that the IPMAN western zone has no impetus to call for any strike as the lacks the constitutional powers to do so as it is only the National Executive Council of IPMAN that has the reserved right to do so.
“The zone or any Depot and the western zone should also by this statement take into cognizance that they are not on their own but under the NEC of IPMAN according to the IPMAN constitution of 2009 as amended.
*And as such cannot take any decision of any kind of strike or demonstration regarding the interest of marketers without the approval of the National Executive Council of IPMAN.
“We advise esteemed marketers to go with their normal day-to-day business.”
Iyike said the Dangote Refinery is a good development for the creation of jobs for the citizens of this country and also a good development for the marketers who could no longer afford to buy petroleum products in their various station outlets.
He said the development would make marketers get products on a credit basis and pay the balance after sales “which will help marketers to bounce back to business.”
“IPMAN nationwide is solidly behind Dangote Refinery and we will not allow a few individuals to truncate this development in the downstream industry and the level of enormous levies on marketers before getting their products to their station outlets will be a thing of the past.”
