Africa’s richest man and the President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has accused Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG) workers of contributing to the increment of fuel prices.

Dangote claimed that NUPENG workers collect as much as ₦50,000 on every truck that loads fuel at the refinery, warning that such charges ultimately push up fuel pump prices and burden consumers.

The billionaire businessman stated this while responding to NUPENG’s accusations that his company is preventing drivers of its newly deployed 4,000 Compressed Natural Gas-powered trucks from joining the union.

“I am saying that there are several charges here, where if a truck is going to load, NUPENG has been collecting about ₦50,000 or ₦48,000 on each truck. By the time everybody collects their own, you are talking about ₦80,000 to ₦84,000. So, who pays for that cost? The consumer actually pays,” Dangote declared.

He described such charges as acts of rent-seeking that discourage efficiency in the sector.

According to him, the company has learned from its past experiences as a fuel importer, when transporters allegedly held Dangote Group “by the neck,” compelling him to establish an in-house fleet under his brother’s management.

“Now that we have launched our own CNG trucks, we will not allow any group to hold us hostage. If there is no evacuation, there is nothing we can do,” he stressed.

Dangote further reiterated that no driver or worker should be compelled to join a union, insisting that the constitution and labour laws make union membership voluntary.

“If anybody wants to join the union, even our own workers, we say, ‘Fine, go and join.’ But it must be voluntary. Even religion is voluntary, you cannot force anyone to convert,” he said.