President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has responded sharply to criticism from the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) over his refinery’s recent fuel price reduction and deployment of compressed natural gas (CNG) trucks. Speaking on Monday during the first anniversary of petrol production at the Dangote Refinery, he described NUPENG’s remarks as misleading and unpatriotic.
NUPENG had earlier dismissed the price cut as a “Greek gift,” accusing Dangote of undermining workers’ rights and attempting to weaken the union by introducing a parallel structure for tanker drivers. But Dangote dismissed the claim, saying, “They said we gave Nigerians a Greek gift — why don’t they give a French one?”
He defended the refinery’s new CNG truck initiative, stating it would create over 24,000 jobs across Nigeria. According to him, the plan is aimed at reducing fuel distribution costs while opening up employment opportunities for drivers, mechanics, fleet managers, and other professionals within the supply chain.
Dangote stressed that his company pays competitive wages and provides robust welfare packages, including life and health insurance for employees and their families. “We are not displacing jobs. Our drivers earn three times the minimum wage and are fully covered,” he said, insisting that joining a union remains a personal choice for workers.
Reflecting on the refinery’s impact over the past year, Dangote said Nigeria’s decades-long struggle with fuel scarcity has significantly improved. He noted that pump prices have dropped from nearly ₦1,100 to around ₦841 in parts of the country, including Lagos, Abuja, Rivers, Delta, and Kwara States.
He also revealed that the refinery exported over 1.1 billion litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) between June and early September 2025, helping boost Nigeria’s foreign exchange earnings and demonstrating the facility’s ability to meet both domestic and regional demand.
Dangote acknowledged the enormous risks involved in building the privately funded refinery, noting that many experts warned him against it. “If it had failed, lenders would have taken our assets. But we believed in Nigeria and Africa,” he said, adding that critics felt the refinery was taking “food off their tables.”
Calling for greater support for local industry, Dangote urged the National Assembly to back the Federal Government’s ‘Nigeria First’ policy with legislation that protects domestic manufacturers. “Other nations weren’t industrialised by outsiders. We must build for ourselves, or we’ll keep exporting jobs and importing poverty,” he warned.
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