The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has warned Nigerians not to be swayed by the promise of free petrol delivery by the Dangote Refinery, describing the offer as a “Greek gift” designed to weaken the union and monopolise the petroleum haulage sector.
In a statement on Friday signed by its President, Williams Akporeha, and General Secretary, Afolabi Olawale, the union alleged that the refinery’s move to commence direct and free supply of petrol to 11 states from September 15 was a ploy to edge out other employers of petroleum truck drivers.
“Nigerians should not be deceived by the offer of free nationwide delivery of petroleum products to dispensing stations.
“It is a Greek gift aimed at ensuring that other employers of Petroleum Truck Drivers (PTD) cannot engage drivers, leaving only those under the Direct Trucking Company Drivers Association (DTCDA) formed by Dangote in employment.
“Everything is targeted at crushing NUPENG and its PTD branch,” the statement read.
NUPENG further accused Dangote Refinery of anti-labour practices, alleging that the management has been obstructing workers’ rights to unionise and frustrating its members. It claimed that the refinery had directed the removal of NUPENG stickers from trucks, replacing them with those of the DTCDA — a development the union said its members had “stoutly resisted.”
The union also reiterated its earlier accusation that the refinery had been sponsoring internal divisions within the PTD branch since 2023 to weaken its ranks.
NUPENG stressed that no Nigerian should support what it called “a work arrangement where drivers and workers are denied their constitutional rights to freedom of association and unionisation.”
The dispute deepened on September 11 when NUPENG placed its members on red alert for a possible nationwide strike over an altercation involving its members and drivers working for MRS Oil.
The same day, Dangote Refinery dismissed allegations of forcing drivers to waive their union rights as “baseless and unfounded.”
The refinery insisted that its conflict with the union was strictly an issue with the PTD unit, but NUPENG fired back, describing the company’s defence as “an unfounded fabricated lie from the pit of hell.”
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