The Federal Government has rescheduled a tripartite conciliation meeting with NUPENG and Dangote Group to resolve a brewing labour crisis.
The talks aim to avert a nationwide fuel strike and economic disruption.
The Federal Government on Monday rescheduled a crucial tripartite conciliation meeting intended to address the escalating dispute between the Dangote Group and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG).
The meeting, initially scheduled for 3 p.m., was moved to 10 a.m. by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammadu Dingyadi. However, at 10 a.m., the leaders of NUPENG and other key stakeholders were still in Lagos, making arrangements to fly to Abuja, which delayed the start of the session.
The meeting comes at a tense moment, with NUPENG threatening a nationwide strike that could paralyse the country’s fuel supply chain and further strain the economy. It was earlier reported that the talks are designed to avert significant disruption and restore industrial harmony.
NUPENG has accused Dangote Refinery of adopting “crude and dangerous anti-union practices” alongside a monopolistic approach to industry operations. The union alleges that Dangote’s employment policies impose some of the lowest wages in the petroleum sector and prevent drivers of imported compressed natural gas (CNG) trucks from joining relevant industry unions.
According to NUPENG, these practices contravene Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution, the Labour Act, and International Labour Organization conventions on freedom of association. The union insists that the government must intervene to enforce compliance with established labour standards and protect workers’ rights.
Observers warn that a prolonged strike could lead to nationwide fuel shortages, price hikes, and mounting economic pressure. The Federal Government’s intervention through conciliation is seen as a critical step to prevent such fallout.
