Odimmegwa Johnpeter/Abuja
The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has agreed to call off its industrial action following an understanding reached today with Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Limited. This was contained in a statement signed by Patience Onuobia, Head, Information, and Public Relations.
The union had embarked on the industrial action on Monday, September 8, 2025, to protest the policy of the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Limited prohibiting its employees from engaging in unionisation with registered labour unions.
The agreement to suspend the strike is part of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the union and the company at the end of the conciliation meeting convened by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, to resolve the differences between the parties.
The conciliation meeting, which started yesterday at the Ministry of Labour and Employment, continued today at the headquarters of the Department of State Services (DSS) with the Minister conciliating.
At the end of deliberations, the parties resolved that the management of Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals would allow the unionization of employees of Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals, who are willing to unionize.
They also agreed that the process of unionization should commence immediately and be completed within two weeks (9th – 22nd September, 2025), and the employer would not set up any other union.
According to the MOU, the parties would revert to the Minister of Labour and Employment a week after the conclusion of the engagement.
The parties also agreed that no worker or employee of Dangote refinery and Petrochemical will be victimized on account of the strike.
The Memorandum of Understanding was signed by the Managing Director of Dangote Group, Sayyu Dantata; the representative of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Benson Upah, and tge representative of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Agency (NMDPRA), O. K. Ukoha.
The other signatories are the representative of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade N.A. Toro; Otunba Jibrin (Dangote Group); NUPENG President, Comrade Akporeha Williams; NUPENG General Secretary, Comrade Afolabi Olawale, and Director, Trade Union Services & Industrial Relations, Falonipe Amos for the Minister of Labour and Employment.
Meanwhile, Dingyadi uses this opportunity to thank the Managing Director of Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Limited, Sayyul Dantata and his team, as well as the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), and NUPENG for their understanding and cooperation during the conciliation meetings.
He also commends the Director General of the DSS and his management team for coordinating this peaceful settlement and for their support and cooperation.
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