Three other unions in the distribution chain — the Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association of Nigeria (NOGASA), the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), and the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) — have on 8th September 2025 announced plans to join the nationwide strike declared by the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) against the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
The strike, which reportedly began on Monday, September 8, 2025, stems from NUPENG’s opposition to Dangote Refinery’s decision to recruit thousands of drivers for its new fleet of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)-powered trucks, under a condition that bars them from joining existing trade unions.
Though the industrial action is yet to cause major disruptions across Nigeria, NUPENG leaders are expected to meet with the Federal Government on same Monday in the latter's bid to resolve the face-off in the country’s oil sector.
At a joint press briefing in Abuja, the Nigeria’s capital territory, the NOGASA President, Benneth Korie said the association had no choice but to withdraw its services nationwide in solidarity to its sister Union.
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He expressed concern over the refinery’s direct supply of products to end-users such as telecom operators, hotels, and construction firms, warning it could lead to job losses and disrupt the traditional distribution chain.
“We requested a meeting with the Dangote Refinery to find a balanced solution, but no response has come. If this continues, we will suspend our services nationwide,” Korie stated, urging President Bola Tinubu to intervene.
On his part, thd NARTO President, Yusuf Othman, also condemned what he described as “monopolistic and anti-competition practices” by the Dangote Group.
While acknowledging the refinery’s investment in new trucks and infrastructure, he warned against policies that could undermine the 30,000 trucks and thousands of jobs sustained by NARTO members.
“Any attempt to eliminate the existing distribution structure will destroy investments, threaten energy security, and exploit consumers in the long run,” Othman opined.
The PETROAN President, Billy Gillis-Harry, added that Dangote’s model was unsustainable and against the long-term interest of Nigeria’s downstream oil and gas sector.
With the three associations aligning with NUPENG, the strike is expected to deepen nationwide unless urgent measure is taken by the concerned authorities and stakeholders.
