The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has said its planned nationwide strike, scheduled to begin on Monday, September 8, 2025, is in response to alleged anti-labour practices by Dangote Refinery and its management.

In a statement on Sunday signed by its President, Williams Akporeha, and General Secretary, Afolabi Olufemi, the union accused the refinery of attempting to “reintroduce slavery into Nigeria’s workforce.”

NUPENG had earlier directed its members to down tools over what it described as unfair labour practices. The decision has, however, faced resistance from stakeholders, including the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) and the Direct Trucking Company Drivers Association (DTCDA), who kicked against the strike.

But NUPENG, in its latest update, dismissed the opposition, insisting that no Dangote-sponsored group could stop the industrial action.

The union alleged that the DTCDA was established by Alhaji Sayyu Aliu Dantata and Alhaji Aliko Dangote to oversee the recruitment of drivers for 10,000 CNG trucks being imported by the group. It described the association as “an unauthorised body” created to weaken NUPENG’s authority.

“For the information of the public, the DTCDA is the association which the Dangote Group of Companies has formed for the drivers to join compulsorily, rather than allowing drivers to join NUPENG, which is the only statutorily recognised union authorised to unionise petroleum tanker drivers.

“Slavery ended centuries ago, but some unscrupulous capitalists are making efforts to bring it back. Any worker who cannot exercise the right of association is no better than a slave. Ordinary Nigerians should neither encourage nor support slavish working conditions,” the statement read.