Aliko Dangote denied claims his refinery mistreats truck drivers or limits employment opportunities.
He said the company offers higher pay, loans and strong welfare packages while maintaining strict safety standards.
Aliko Dangote, Chairman of Dangote Group, has rejected allegations from the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) that his company mistreats truck drivers or limits employment opportunities at its refinery.
Speaking to journalists on Monday, Dangote said the refinery offers strong welfare packages and better pay than what drivers typically earn elsewhere in the sector. According to him, the company has set up financial support schemes and provides access to loans for drivers.
He explained that a Dangote driver can earn far more than the national minimum wage and even out-earn many university graduates. “Within five years, a careful driver handling hazardous loads can build a record that allows them to apply for housing loans,” he said. “Our drivers take home several times the minimum wage, which is higher than what they might earn elsewhere.”
Dangote also highlighted safety concerns with outside trucks, noting that some vehicles brought by NUPENG fall below refinery safety standards. “We cannot load every truck that arrives because of the fire risk,” he stated, adding that the refinery still manages some of the vehicles due to the current shortage of trucks.
Addressing speculation about fleet size, Dangote dismissed claims of owning tens of thousands of tankers. “Nobody has 30,000 tankers,” he remarked, stressing that the reported figures were exaggerated.
He further assured that tanker drivers from NUPENG who have lost their jobs could be absorbed into the refinery’s workforce. “No one will be left without employment; any driver looking for work is welcome here,” Dangote said.
This statement followed a recent clarification from the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) branch of NUPENG, which denied its national leadership’s accusations that Dangote Refinery was undermining workers’ rights or fostering division within the union.
