The Dangote Group has reportedly agreed to allow workers at its refinery and petrochemicals complex to join the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), marking a major breakthrough in ongoing labour negotiations.
Sources familiar with the matter told Vanguard that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is currently being drafted and is expected to be signed by both parties within two weeks.
The development comes after the Federal Government on Monday intervened to avert a planned strike by petroleum workers. The meeting, held at the Ministry of Labour and Employment in Abuja, brought together NUPENG leaders and officials of the Dangote Group.
The government’s delegation was led by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, while NUPENG was represented by its President, Williams Akporeha, and General Secretary, Olawale Afolabi.
Although the meeting, initially scheduled for 10:00 a.m., did not commence until 5:22 p.m., stakeholders later entered into a closed-door session where significant progress was reportedly made.
The dispute had centred on Dangote Group’s policy of barring its refinery employees from joining trade unions. NUPENG insisted that no oil worker would operate under Dangote without union membership, threatening nationwide industrial action.
Speaking before the closed-door session, Minister Dingyadi appealed for peace, expressing confidence that the issues would be resolved amicably. He stressed the importance of stability in the oil sector, describing it as critical to Nigeria’s economy.
He said: “We are here to reconciliate our labour unions in the oil industry and the employers in Dangote Group. We believe that by the time we sit down with parties involved, we should be able to resolve the issues within the limits of what is possible.”
The agreement, once formalised, is expected to calm tensions in the oil and gas industry and ensure industrial peace as the Dangote Refinery prepares for full-scale operations.
