EFFORTS by the Federal Government to resolve the labour dispute between the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Dangote Group ended in a stalemate on Monday, raising fears of fresh industrial unrest in the oil and gas sector.
News Point Nigeria reports that the meeting, convened by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, alongside the Minister of State, Rt. Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, was intended to address long-standing disputes over unionisation rights and labour relations at the Dangote Refinery and petrochemical plants.
While the Dangote Group reportedly agreed in principle to allow refinery and petrochemical workers to join NUPENG, negotiations collapsed during the drafting of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) meant to seal the deal.
Insiders at the talks told News Point Nigeria that the Dangote delegation sought to introduce what labour leaders described as “offensive clauses” into the MoU.
These provisions, union officials argued, could be used to weaken workers’ rights or punish them in the event of industrial action.
Tensions rose sharply, prompting NUPENG delegates backed by Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) officials to stage two walkouts during the closed-door session.
The meeting, which commenced at 6:05pm, was attended by key industry players and labour representatives:
Dangote Group: Sayyu Cantata, Otunba Jibrin
NUPENG: President Williams Akporeha, General Secretary Afolabi Olawale
NLC: Benson Upah, Onyeka Chris, Echezona Azuzu, Opaluwa Simon
TUC: Secretary General, Dr. Nuhu Toro, and Shehu Mohammed
Government & Regulators: Ministers of Labour, and officials of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA)
Despite the strong presence of mediators, compromise proved elusive.
As of press time, the standoff remained unresolved.
Sources within the labour movement hinted at the possibility of escalating actions if Dangote fails to sign a “fair and unambiguous” MoU.
A source told News Point Nigeria that prolonged deadlock could fuel industrial tension, especially as the Dangote Refinery hailed as a game-changer for Nigeria’s oil sector edges closer to full-scale operations.
For now, both sides remain entrenched, and the next phase of the Dangote–NUPENG showdown is uncertain.