NUPENG suspends strike after agreement with Dangote refinery

The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has announced the suspension of its strike action following a pivotal agreement with Dangote Refinery.

The memorandum of understanding (MoU), signed on September 8, outlines a resolution reached by both parties that led to the union’s decision to halt the planned industrial action.

Key representatives signing the MoU include Sayyu Dantata, managing director of Dangote Group; Ogbugo Ukoha, executive director at the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA); Benson Upah, acting general secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC); and Nuhu Toro, general secretary of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC).

The agreement acknowledges that worker unionization is a right per existing laws. It confirms that the management of the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals will allow the unionization of employees who wish to join.

The process is set to commence immediately and is expected to be completed within two weeks, between September 9 and September 22, 2025. Additionally, it ensures that no other union will be formed by the employer during this period.

In the MoU, both parties affirmed that “no worker or employee of Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical will be victimized” as a result of the strike notice.

They also committed to returning to the Honourable Minister of Labour a week after the engagement concludes.

NUPENG’s decision to suspend the industrial action follows a notice given on September 5, where the union announced plans to initiate a strike starting September 8 in protest against alleged anti-union practices by Dangote Refinery.

Source: TheCable