Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, has urged the Federal Government to step in and address Dangote Refinery owner Aliko Dangote’s alleged plan to compel newly hired drivers to sign contracts that bar them from joining established unions within the oil and gas sector.
On Friday, NUPENG announced that its members would cease work and begin seeking alternative employment starting September 8.
The union stated that this action is a direct response to Dangote Refinery’s alleged efforts to bar its compressed natural gas (CNG) tanker drivers from affiliating with labor unions.
Both the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) and the Direct Trucking Company Drivers Association (DTCDA) have declared their refusal to participate in the strike organized by NUPENG.
Meanwhile, the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) declared its intention to halt the lifting and dispensing of petroleum products for three days starting September 9, in solidarity with NUPENG’s strike.
Despite opposition from the Direct Trucking Company Drivers Association (DTCDA), NUPENG reaffirmed its commitment to proceed with the planned industrial action.
Reacting to the development in a statement issued on Sunday, Falana asserted that the Dangote Group’s policy violates Section 40 of the Nigerian Constitution, Section 12 of the Trade Union Act, and Article 10 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act.
He added that the policy breaches several international agreements Nigeria has ratified, including the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention (1948, No. 87), the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention (1949, No. 98) of the International Labour Organization, as well as the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
The statement reads, “The National Union of Petroleum and Gas Workers has directed its large members in the oil and gas industry to embark on indefinite strike on Monday, September 9, 2025. The strike is a protest against the plan of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery to force newly recruited drivers to sign an undertaking not to belong to any existing union in the oil and gas industry in the country.
“The policy of the Dangote Group contravenes section 40 of the Constitution, section 12 of the Trade Union Act as well as article 10 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act.
“Furthermore, the policy is a breach of the provisions of the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention 1948 (No. 87) and the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention 1949 (No. 98) of the International Labour Organisation as well as the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which have been ratified by Nigeria.
“In view of the legal obligation imposed on the Federal Government of Nigeria by the Constitution, Trade Union Act and international law to respect the fundamental right of workers to freedom of association and the right of trade unions to organise them, the Registrar of Trade Unions should call the Dangote Petroleum Refinery to order without any delay. At the same time, the Federal Competition and Consumer Commission should halt the monopolistic practices of the Dangote Group forthwith as they violate the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act of 2018.
“Even though powerful trade unions exist in all capitalist countries including the United Kingdom and United States of America, the Dangote Group is determined to obliterate trade unions in Nigeria because it has been allowed to operate outside the ambit of the law.
“However, the Dangote Group ought to be reminded that the struggle of Nigerian workers to unionise was fought and won under the British colonial regime. To that extent, we support the strike of the National Union of Petroleum and Gas Workers against the policy of the Dangote Group to erode the rights of Nigerian workers to unionise.”
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