NUPENG: ‘Call Dangote to order’ – Falana tells Nigerian Govt

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, has called on the Federal Government to intervene and address the allegation that the owner of Dangote Refinery, Aliko Dangote is planning to force newly hired drivers to sign contracts that restrain them from joining established unions within the oil and gas sector.

DAILY POST recalls that the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers,
NUPENG, on Friday, announced that its members would stop work and start looking for alternative employment beginning from September 8.

NUPENG maintained that the action was a direct reaction to the allegation that Dangote Refinery was making frantic efforts to restrain its Compressed Natural Gas, CNG, tanker drivers from affiliating with labour unions.

Meanwhile, the Petroleum Tanker Drivers, PTD, and the Direct Trucking Company Drivers Association, DTCDA, have both said that they would not participate in the strike organized by NUPENG.

Reacting, Falana stated that the Dangote Group’s policy contravenes Section 40 of the Nigerian Constitution, amongst others.

The senior lawyer also said that the policy breaches several international agreements Nigeria has ratified.

The National Union of Petroleum and Gas Workers had directed its large members in the oil and gas industry to embark on indefinite strike on Monday, September 9, 2025.

The strike is a protest against the plan of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery to force newly recruited drivers to sign an undertaking not to belong to any existing union in the oil and gas industry in the country.

NUPENG: ‘Call Dangote to order’ – Falana tells Nigerian Govt