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), in what sources described as a landmark concession.
According to insiders at the meeting, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is being drafted and could be signed within the next two weeks.
This development comes after the federal government convened an emergency meeting on Monday to avert a planned nationwide strike by petroleum workers under NUPENG’s umbrella.
The session, initially scheduled for 10:00 a.m., did not commence until 5:22 p.m. It was attended by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, who led the federal delegation, while NUPENG was represented by its President, Williams Akporeha, and General Secretary, Olawale Afolabi.
The dispute originated from Dangote Group’s policy prohibiting its employees from unionizing, a position NUPENG strongly opposed, vowing that no oil worker would operate under the company without union protection.
Before the closed-door session, Minister Dingyadi urged all parties to embrace peace, stressing the vital role of the oil industry in sustaining the nation’s economy.
“The oil industry is not a sector that we can play with,” Dingyadi said. “What we are discussing today is very important to the peace and stability of the country and our economy.”
The resolution, observers say, could not only prevent crippling industrial action but also mark a major shift in labour relations at Africa’s largest oil refinery.
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