The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has officially suspended its nationwide strike after reaching a crucial agreement with the management of Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals over workers’ rights to unionise.
The decision to end the two-day industrial action came on Tuesday, September 9, following a high-level conciliation meeting in Abuja, chaired by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi.
The strike, which began earlier this week, had caused fuel shortages across the country, with several petrol stations shutting down due to disrupted supply chains. The action was taken in response to what NUPENG described as the “denial of workers’ rights” by the Dangote Group, particularly the refusal to allow staff at the refinery and petrochemical facilities to join recognised labour unions.
At the heart of the dispute was the right of employees at the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals plant to freely associate and unionise, a right protected under Nigerian labour laws. NUPENG had accused the company of blocking efforts by workers to join the union, prompting the nationwide protest that affected fuel supply in several states.
After lengthy negotiations facilitated by the Labour Minister, both parties agreed to a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which clearly outlined steps towards resolving the crisis.
According to the signed MoU, the management of Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals acknowledged the workers’ right to unionise, stating that any employee who wishes to join a recognised union can now do so freely.
“That since workers’ unionisation is a right in line with the provisions of the extant laws, the management of Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals agreed to the unionisation of employees of Dangote Refinery and unionisation of employees of Petrochemicals, who are willing to unionise.”
It further noted that the unionisation process will begin immediately and be completed within two weeks, from September 9 to 22, 2025. Importantly, it was agreed that the company will not create or sponsor any parallel or in-house union to undermine the process.
Also included in the agreement was a critical clause that protects all workers who participated in the strike. “Arising from the strike notice, no worker or employee of Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals will be victimized,” the document stated.
With this resolution, NUPENG has called off its strike, and operations across fuel depots and filling stations are expected to return to normal in the coming days.
Speaking to the press after the meeting, NUPENG President Williams Akporeha thanked the government for its swift intervention and expressed satisfaction with the agreement. “This is a victory for the Nigerian worker. The right to unionise is non-negotiable, and we are glad that reason has prevailed,” he said.
In response, a representative of the Dangote Group confirmed the company’s commitment to honouring the terms of the MoU, adding that the management “remains dedicated to maintaining a peaceful and productive workplace.”
The Dangote Refinery, located in Lagos, is one of Africa’s largest industrial projects and plays a critical role in Nigeria’s fuel supply system. Any disruption to its operations has a direct impact on the availability of petroleum products nationwide.
The suspension of the strike is expected to bring relief to millions of Nigerians who faced long queues and high transport fares during the fuel scarcity.
