The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has urged President Bola Tinubu to step into the ongoing dispute between the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Dangote Group, warning of an imminent nationwide strike.
The call followed NUPENG’s announcement that it would commence an industrial action from Sunday over what it described as the Dangote Group’s “anti-union practices, monopolistic agenda, and indecent industrial relations strategies.”
In a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja, NLC President Joe Ajaero said the situation required the President’s urgent intervention to avert a breakdown in industrial peace.
Ajaero appealed to President Tinubu to “immediately call Aliko Dangote and Alhaji Sayyu Dantata to order” and ensure they respect Nigeria’s labour laws and international conventions.
“The NLC unequivocally condemns the anti-union, anti-worker, and monopolistic practices of the Dangote Group and its affiliates. Nigerian workers are not slaves and cannot be serially abused without consequences,” he said.
He accused the Dangote Group of exploiting Nigerian workers while disregarding their constitutional rights to unionise and engage in collective bargaining.
According to Ajaero, the congress is demanding the immediate unionisation of the Dangote Refinery and all its subsidiaries, warning that failure to comply would spark broader industrial resistance.
“If Dangote continues on this reckless anti-union path, we will move beyond words to action. Our solidarity is not negotiable. We will fight because we must. The working class must not be sacrificed on the altar of corporate greed,” he said.
Ajaero added that preparations were already underway for a united front with NUPENG, including possible mass industrial action in solidarity with the union.
