The Federal Government has intervened in the dispute between the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Dangote Refinery, urging the union to suspend its planned nationwide strike slated for Monday, September 8, 2025.
Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, said on Sunday that he had summoned both parties to a conciliation meeting in Abuja to avert a shutdown of the petroleum sector.
The move comes amid mounting tensions over allegations that the Dangote Group is preventing drivers of its imported Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) trucks from joining trade unions.
In a statement by the ministry’s spokesperson, Patience Onuobia, Dingyadi appealed to NUPENG to rescind its decision to withdraw services and called on the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to stand down its solidarity “red alert.”
“The petroleum sector is the backbone of the country’s economy. Even a day’s strike will lead to revenue losses running into billions of naira and cause severe hardship for Nigerians,” the minister warned.
He assured that government would broker a resolution acceptable to all sides. “The matter will be resolved amicably to the satisfaction of all parties involved,” Dingyadi said.