By Peter Omopo
September 8, 2025 — The Federal Government has begun a crucial meeting with the leadership of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) in a bid to forestall a nationwide strike that could further strain Nigeria’s fragile economy.
The talks, holding at the Ministry of Labour and Employment in Abuja, were scheduled for 10 a.m. but only commenced around 5:30 p.m. following the late arrival of NUPENG officials.
NUPENG recently threatened to embark on industrial action, accusing Dangote Industries and its partners of “crude and dangerous anti-union practices, a monopolistic agenda, and indecent industrial relations strategies.”
The union also alleged that the refinery pays some of the lowest wages in the oil and gas sector and bars drivers of imported CNG trucks from joining industry unions. Such practices, NUPENG insists, contravene Section 40 of Nigeria’s Constitution, the Labour Act, and International Labour Organisation conventions on freedom of association.
The outcome of the meeting is expected to determine whether NUPENG will suspend its strike plans or proceed with an action that could disrupt fuel supply and deepen economic pressures.
