By Adewale Sanyaolu
A fresh episode of scathing fuel scarcity stares Nigerians in the face as petroleum marketers threatened to shut down operations from today, following an unresolved dispute between them and Dangote Refinery.
The standoff centres around labour issues and fears of job loss fueled by the alleged monopolistic stance of Dangote Refinery.
At the weekend, various oil marketers’ bodies held meetings to arrive at the unanimous position of downtooling today.
Specifically, the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Gas Workers (NUPENG) on Saturday called on its members to shun petroleum products loading at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery effective today.
It reiterated the call yesterday, disowning claims by Enoch Kanawa, President, Direct Trucking Company Drivers Association (DTCDA), suggesting that NUPENG could not speak for tanker drivers.
“We ask our members, members of the public, and independent media to disregard DTCDA and its statements,” the union said.
The union accused the DTCDA of being a creation of Dangote Refinery management, designed to prevent drivers from joining NUPENG, the only statutorily recognised union for petroleum tanker drivers. “Kanawa is a lawyer, not a tanker driver,” the statement added.
NUPENG further alleged that the Direct Trucking Company Limited was set up by Alhaji Sayyu Aliyu Dantata and Alhaji Aliko Dangote to manage the 10,000 CNG trucks being imported.
“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,” the union warned.
The statement provided a detailed account of Kanawa’s career, highlighting his former roles as Executive Secretary of the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) and Legal Adviser to MRS Energy Limited, to underscore that DTCDA is management-inspired and not a grassroots union.
The union described the move as “an affront on the right of association, guaranteed under the 1999 Constitution and a breach of international labour laws to which Nigeria is a signatory.”
In solidarity, other sister associations in the industry threw their weight behind NUPENG. They are; Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) and the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN).
According to industry observers, the decision by NUPENG and other sister associations to suspend activities will further hurt the fragile economy as both commercial and economic activities will grind to a halt.
In a statement signed by its President, Williams Akporeha, and General Secretary, Afolabi Olawale, NUPENG accused Dangote Refinery of “anti-labour practices inimical to the survival and livelihoods” of its Petroleum Tanker Drivers branch.
The union has, therefore, directed its Petroleum Tanker Drivers to stop loading petroleum products from depots starting Monday, September 8, a move that could paralyse fuel supply across the country.
“We call on the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Authority to invoke its powers under Section 32 of the Petroleum Industry Act to check abuse of dominant positions and restrictive business practices,” NUPENG urged.
It continued: “Meanwhile, since Alhaji Aliko Dangote and his cousin have resolved to replace all Petroleum Tanker Drivers in Nigeria and there is no one or institution that can stop him, the members of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers Branch of NUPENG will from Monday, 8th September 2025, start looking for alternative employments and livelihoods.
“We plead with the general public to bear any inconveniences our struggle against this tyranny and indecency may cause”.
Already, the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has announced a three-day forewarning strike beginning Tuesday, September 9, 2025, in protest against what it described as attempts to impose monopoly in the nation’s downstream petroleum sector.
In a statement signed by its National Public Relations Officer, Joseph Obele, the association said members will suspend the lifting and dispensing of petroleum products as part of their advocacy for fair and healthy competition.
Obele explained that the action would also be impacted by the ongoing strike declared by the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), as most pump attendants at PETROAN member filling stations belong to the union.
“We have instructed filling station owners not to discipline or sack any pump attendant who would be absent from duty until the end of the strike. Notably, PETROAN had earlier advocated for healthy competition in the oil and gas sector, as opposed to monopolistic tendencies,” Obele stated.
The association warned that the “aggressive business strategies” of Dangote Refinery, if left unchecked, could edge out private depot owners, modular refineries, marketers, retailers, truck owners and drivers, creating massive job losses across the value chain.
“Any initial strategy aimed at gaining monopoly should not be mistaken for a Father Christmas promise. Nigerians must remember what happened in the cement industry, where competition was stifled to the detriment of consumers,” PETROAN cautioned.
To prevent possible chaos during the planned action, the association held an emergency national general meeting where members resolved to continue consultations with stakeholders through Sunday and Monday. However, it maintained that if no positive outcome is achieved, all members will proceed with the suspension of operations nationwide from Tuesday.
To enforce compliance, PETROAN said a 120-man task force has been set up as watchdogs to monitor filling stations and ensure the safety of members’ facilities during the shutdown. “As a critical stakeholder, PETROAN will join other stakeholders in ensuring healthy competition in the oil and gas sector of Nigeria. This collaborative effort aims to promote a conducive environment for workers, foster sector growth, and ultimately benefit the Nigerian economy,’’, the body said.
Similarly, IPMAN Western Zone, says it will shut down operations from Monday, September 8, to protest what it described as attempts to monopolise the downstream sector.
The resolution was reached on Saturday at a zonal council meeting which brought together council members, officers, depot chairmen and secretaries across the five depots in the South West.
The Chairman of the zone, Oyewole Akanni, stated that the strike was in solidarity with the Nigeria NUPENG over job security concerns for petroleum tanker drivers.
Akanni said the planned entry of Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Company into petrol distribution, alongside MRS Energy Ltd, posed a serious threat to the survival of IPMAN members’ businesses.
According to him, IPMAN members, who operate over 4,000 trucks for petroleum product lifting, would be severely affected, as many truck drivers and motor boys risk losing their jobs.
He noted that thousands of members’ investments could be crippled as well.
“More importantly, such a move also negates the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), which prohibits a company refining crude oil from directly engaging in product distribution.
“This is a flagrant disobedience to the law guiding operations in the downstream sector.
“This is a collective decision by all zonal council members, officers, depot chairmen and secretaries. No member must open their stations for operations from Monday,” he said.
Akanni called on the Federal Government to intervene and uphold the laws governing the Petroleum Industry Act, stressing that the association would resist any attempt to allow monopoly in the sector.
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