By David Oladimeji
The tension at Africa’s largest oil refinery reached a boiling point this week as the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) stormed the Dangote Refinery main gate, barricading access and stopping non-union trucks from loading fuel.
What started as a labour dispute has now escalated into a full-blown standoff, with trucks lined up for kilometers and anxious drivers caught in the crossfire. The once-bustling refinery gate now resembles a protest ground, with barricades, chanting workers, and a heavy presence of union marshals.
At the heart of the chaos lies a bitter accusation: NUPENG insists that the Dangote management has breached a Federal Government-brokered peace agreement that sought to end earlier hostilities between both sides. According to the union, the refinery’s management instructed its tanker drivers to peel off NUPENG stickers from their trucks, a move the union views as a direct attack on its authority.
“This is not just about stickers; it’s about respect for agreements,” a NUPENG official thundered. “If Dangote thinks he can run this refinery without NUPENG, he is mistaken.”
The union’s action has left hundreds of non-union trucks stranded outside the refinery walls, unable to load petroleum products. For drivers who rely on daily trips to feed their families, the blockade has turned into a nightmare. “We’ve been here since yesterday, sleeping inside the truck. No loading, no movement,” one frustrated trucker lamented.
As the blockade stiffened, reports filtered in that Dangote management had allegedly prepared towing vehicles to forcibly remove the barricade trucks. This rumour ignited fury within NUPENG ranks, prompting the union to reinforce its blockade and place members nationwide on red alert.
Adding more fuel to the fire, union officials accused the refinery of inviting the Navy to intimidate workers. The claim, though denied by Dangote, has sparked fears of a possible violent clash if security forces intervene. “We will not be cowed by uniforms or intimidation,” another union leader declared, drawing cheers from protesters.
Dangote Group, on its part, has pushed back against the allegations. In a statement, the company stressed that it respects the rights of workers to freely associate and insisted it had not engaged in any anti-labour practice. The refinery, it said, was only enforcing the principle of voluntary union membership.
But NUPENG remains unconvinced. Its leaders argue that without a strong union presence, workers will be vulnerable to exploitation. To them, Dangote’s position is not about “voluntary membership” but about weakening organised labour in a sector that thrives on collective bargaining.
The deadlock has reignited fears of a broader crisis in Nigeria’s fuel distribution network. Only weeks ago, NUPENG suspended a nationwide strike following government mediation. Now, with tempers flaring at Dangote Refinery, that truce hangs by a thread.
Economic watchers warn that if the blockade drags on or escalates into a strike, fuel queues could return across major Nigerian cities, with ripple effects on transportation, businesses, and households. “We are sitting on a keg of gunpowder,” an analyst noted.
For now, the refinery gates remain sealed to non-union trucks. While union members chant solidarity songs under the hot sun, Dangote’s sleek refinery towers loom in the background, symbolising both industrial promise and industrial unrest.
As the impasse deepens, all eyes are on Abuja, where the Federal Government may once again be forced to wade into the matter. The Ministry of Labour and the Department of State Services are expected to play a key role in brokering peace, just as they did during the last flare-up.
The question, however, is whether either side is willing to compromise. NUPENG insists it will not retreat until Dangote respects the “spirit and letter” of the peace agreement. Dangote, meanwhile, appears unwilling to hand the union carte blanche control over its trucking operations.
For Nigerians, the standoff at Dangote Refinery is more than a union-management tussle; it is a test of how the country balances industrial relations with its desperate need for fuel stability. As dusk falls on the refinery gates, the barricades remain firmly in place — a symbol of a fight far from over.
