The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has accused the management of Dangote Refinery of reneging on an agreement that guaranteed employees the right to unionise, warning that it may resume a nationwide strike barely two days after suspending its earlier action.

In a joint statement signed by NUPENG President Williams Akporeha and General Secretary Afolabi Olawale, the union said its Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) members had been ordered to remove the union’s stickers from their trucks despite a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed earlier this week.

“We are by this statement placing all our members on red alert for the resumption of the suspended nationwide industrial action,” the statement read. “We call on the Nigeria Labour Congress, Trade Union Congress, civil society organisations, and global working people to rise in solidarity against this threat.”

The allegation comes after a closed-door meeting convened on September 8 by the Department of State Services (DSS), attended by Finance Minister Wale Edun, representatives of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), officials of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), and Dangote Group executives.

At that meeting, both parties signed an MoU affirming that unionisation is a right under Nigerian labour law. The document stipulated that employees of Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals willing to unionise would be allowed to do so, that the process would begin immediately and be completed within two weeks (September 9–22), and that no worker would be victimised.

The MoU was signed by Sayyu Dantata for Dangote Group; O.K. Ukoha for NMDPRA; Benson Upah for NLC; N.A. Toro for the Trade Union Congress (TUC); Williams Akporeha and Afolabi Olawale for NUPENG; and Amos Falonipe, Director of Trade Union Services and Industrial Relations, on behalf of the Minister of Labour.

Despite this resolution, NUPENG said its members faced intimidation. “We call on the Federal Government not to allow the Navy and other security agents who are paid by the resources of this country to be used with impunity against the laws and people of this country,” the statement added.

Dangote Refinery had earlier dismissed allegations of anti-labour practices, describing them as “cheap blackmail.” Company spokesman Anthony Chiejina insisted that operations were continuing without fuel shortages.

The strike, launched by NUPENG-PTD on Monday, was initially triggered by claims that the refinery was hiring new drivers on the condition that they not join the union. Dangote management denied the claim.

The refinery, which began operations last year with a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, was designed to reduce Nigeria’s reliance on imported petrol. While it has lowered pump prices and disrupted existing supply chains, the refinery’s dominance has raised monopoly concerns.

Dangote Group is also preparing to roll out thousands of compressed natural gas-powered trucks for petrol distribution, though the move has faced delays, creating tension with the existing fleet of more than 20,000 diesel-powered tanker operators.

The Federal Ministry of Labour said it will issue a formal statement on the latest developments.