An all-night emergency meeting convened by the Federal Government to resolve the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) strike over alleged anti-union practices at the Dangote Refinery ended in stalemate on Monday in Abuja.
The Ministry of Labour and Employment had called the meeting to address accusations that the refinery was working against workers’ rights to unionise. However, discussions broke down after representatives of the Dangote Group reportedly walked out.
Labour Minister Muhammad Dingyadi, who chaired the meeting, admitted that progress was slow. “We have not been able to reach a final agreement on this matter. Negotiations will continue, and hopefully by tomorrow, we will resolve the issues. I appeal to everyone to remain calm as talks go on,” he said, assuring that the government remains committed to finding common ground.
On his part, Benson Upah, Acting General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), accused the Dangote delegation of sabotaging the process. “The representative of the Dangote Refinery walked out on the Honourable Minister and Organised Labour. Even after we bent backwards to accommodate his uncompromising behaviour, he still did what he did. So, we are left with no choice but to continue with the action,” he said.
Upah stressed that while labour remained open to dialogue, it could not negotiate alone. “It takes more than one party to reach a resolution. Whenever the Dangote Refinery sees the need for genuine dialogue, we are ready—even tonight, if they return,” he added.
NUPENG President, Williams Akporeha, accused the refinery of attempting to suppress workers’ rights while consolidating its monopoly in Nigeria’s energy sector. According to him, the union’s action is in the interest of Nigerians.
“We cannot stand an investor whose main purpose is to enslave Nigerians. Dangote cannot take us back to the dark days of slavery,” Akporeha said. He further alleged that the refinery was denying employees the right to unionise, insisting: “Nigerians have wished him well, but he should not enslave them. He wants to monopolise the entire system and even the workers. This, we say, no to.”