The resolution meeting convened by the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Labour and Employment, to end the ongoing industrial action by the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) against the Dangote Refinery ended in the early hours of today without any agreement.
The meeting, which began late on Monday, was aimed at resolving the dispute between the union and the management of Dangote Refinery over alleged anti-union practices. However, it hit a deadlock after the refinery’s representatives reportedly staged a walkout, heightening tensions and leaving the strike firmly in place.
Speaking shortly after the meeting, which dragged past midnight, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Alhaji Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, expressed optimism that a resolution was still possible.
According to him, “We have not been able to reach a final agreement on this matter because of a stalemate, and we are still trying to resolve the issues. It was getting late, and most of the parties had to return to Lagos tonight, so we had to call it off.”
The Minister appealed for calm among stakeholders, assuring that discussions would continue to prevent further escalation of the crisis. “We are confident that maybe by tomorrow we will be able to resolve the issues. Both parties tried to listen and cooperate as much as possible, but as with any negotiation, there are always issues that cannot be resolved immediately. However, we believe we will sort them out. I appeal to everyone to maintain peace. We will do our best to secure an agreement and ensure the strike is called off. This is the situation so far,” he said.
However, Organized Labour painted a more dramatic picture of the breakdown, accusing Dangote Refinery’s representatives of deliberately frustrating the process. The Acting General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Benson Upah, told journalists after the labour delegation exited the Ministry’s premises around 12:00 a.m. that the meeting ended abruptly when the refinery’s team walked out on both the Minister and labour leaders.
“The representative of the Dangote Refinery walked out on the Honourable Minister and Organized Labour. So, there was no agreement,” Upah said. “Even when we bent over backwards to accommodate his uncompromising behaviour, he still did what he did. So, we are left with no choice but to do the needful. The action continues.”
When asked if a breakthrough was still possible, Upah stressed that labour was open to dialogue but could not negotiate alone. “That is not for us to decide. It takes more than one party to reach a resolution. Whenever the refinery’s representative sees the need for genuine dialogue, we are ready anytime—even tonight. If they change their mind and return willing to discuss, we are here,” he stated.
Echoing the NLC’s stance, the President of NUPENG, Comrade Williams Akporeha, said the strike was not only about workers’ rights but also about protecting Nigerians against what he described as a creeping monopoly by the Dangote Group. Akporeha accused the refinery’s owner of attempting to enslave workers by denying them the right to unionize and suppressing their voices in the workplace.
“Our action on this matter as organized labour is in the interest of Nigerians. We cannot stand an investor whose main purpose is to enslave Nigerians. He cannot take us back to the dark days of slavery,” Akporeha declared. “Nigerians have wished him well, but he should not repay them with enslavement. It is unfortunate that we have an investor who says there cannot be a union in his establishment. He wants to monopolize the entire system, including the workers. This we reject, and it cannot happen during our time.”
The deadlock means that the nationwide strike declared by NUPENG, and backed by the Nigeria Labour Congress, will continue, potentially crippling petroleum distribution and causing widespread disruption. With both sides holding firm, all eyes are now on the Federal Government as it scrambles to bring the feuding parties back to the negotiating table before the crisis spirals further out of control.