The Traffic

Dangote vs the Oil Unions: Nigeria Braces for Mega Strike Showdown

Nigeria’s petroleum supply chain is on the edge of a crippling shutdown after three of the country’s most powerful oil industry associations announced they are joining the nationwide strike launched by the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG).

On Monday, the Natural Oil & Gas Suppliers Association of Nigeria (NOGASA), the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), and the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) declared solidarity with NUPENG in its battle against the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.

At the heart of the storm is Dangote’s new distribution model: a vast fleet of compressed natural gas (CNG) trucks manned by thousands of freshly recruited drivers — under conditions that unions allege exclude them from joining existing trade bodies. For labour leaders, the move is nothing short of an existential threat.

Suppliers Raise the Alarm

Benneth Korie, NOGASA’s National President, said his members had been sidelined in discussions despite their critical role in the downstream value chain.

“Dangote’s direct supply to telecoms firms, hotels, and construction companies threatens the jobs and livelihoods of our members. We asked for dialogue; we got silence. Now, in solidarity with NUPENG, we have no choice but to withdraw our services nationwide,” Korie announced at a joint press briefing in Abuja.

He appealed directly to President Bola Tinubu to step in before livelihoods are erased and the market destabilised. NOGASA members will halt supplies to industries, hotels, and telecom sites nationwide starting September 9, 2025.

Truck Owners Push Back

For NARTO, the fight is about survival. Its President, Yusuf Othman, accused Dangote of edging towards monopoly.

“Our members run over 30,000 trucks across Nigeria. We employ thousands, feed millions. Any attempt to cut us out will not only destroy jobs but also put consumers at the mercy of a single supplier,” Othman warned.

While acknowledging Dangote’s heavy investments, Othman argued that bypassing established transporters would ultimately undermine energy security.

Retailers Join the Resistance

PETROAN, representing fuel station owners nationwide, echoed the concerns. Its President, Billy Gillis-Harry, said the refinery’s direct distribution model may look efficient on paper but is “unsustainable and dangerous” for Nigeria’s long-term downstream stability.

A United Front with High Stakes

Together, NUPENG, NOGASA, NARTO, and PETROAN form the backbone of Nigeria’s petroleum distribution system. If their strike holds, it could choke off supply chains from refinery gates to roadside filling stations — leaving petrol pumps dry, transport crippled, and the economy bleeding.

For now, NUPENG leaders are scheduled to meet federal government officials in Abuja for emergency talks. But if dialogue fails, Nigeria could be staring down one of the most disruptive strikes in decades, with Dangote Refinery at the centre of an unprecedented showdown between big capital and organised labour.

By Haruna Yakubu Haruna