The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has suspended its nationwide strike after reaching an agreement with the management of Dangote Refinery, allowing employees to unionise.
The truce was brokered on Tuesday at a closed-door meeting convened by the Department of State Services (DSS) and attended by Finance Minister Wale Edun, representatives of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), and officials from the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by top representatives of the Dangote Group, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), and labour leaders, including NUPENG President, Williams Akporeha, and General Secretary, Afolabi Olawale.
According to the MoU, workers at Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals who wish to unionise are free to do so, with the process set to commence immediately and conclude within two weeks. The document also emphasised that no employee would face victimisation as a result of the strike or the unionisation drive.
The breakthrough followed Monday’s failed attempt at mediation by the Federal Ministry of Labour, which ended in a deadlock.
In a separate statement, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Western Zone, also announced the suspension of its strike. Its Chairman, Oyewọle Akanni, said the move came after “productive discussions and assurances” that addressed concerns about anti-labour and monopolistic practices allegedly linked to Dangote Group operations.
The industrial action, which began after NUPENG accused Dangote of deploying Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) trucks in ways that threatened union rights and independent transporters, had raised fears of fuel scarcity nationwide.
With the new agreement, marketers have been directed to resume operations immediately, while NUPENG has pledged to monitor compliance with the MoU.