Dangote, NUPENG peace talks collapse in Abuja

A marathon meeting convened by the Federal Government to avert the ongoing strike by the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, against the Dangote Refinery has ended in deadlock, deepening fears of disruption across the petroleum sector.

The talks, held late Monday at the Ministry of Labour and Employment in Abuja and presided over by Labour Minister, Alhaji Muhammad Dingyadi, were expected to address allegations of anti-union practices by the Dangote Group.

However, the discussions collapsed dramatically after the Dangote representatives staged a walkout, leaving government officials and labour leaders frustrated.

Minister Dingyadi, speaking to journalists after the tense session, admitted that the negotiations had made little headway.

“We have not been able to reach a final agreement on this matter. Negotiations will continue. Maybe by tomorrow, we will resolve the issues. I appeal to everyone to maintain peace as discussions continue,” he said, pledging that the Federal Government remained committed to finding a middle ground.

But labour leaders painted a far grimmer picture. Mr. Benson Upah, Acting General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress, accused Dangote’s delegation of deliberately sabotaging the peace process.

“The representative of the Dangote Refinery walked out on the Honourable Minister and Organised Labour. So, there was no agreement,” Upah said.

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He added that organised labour had shown flexibility, but Dangote’s team refused to engage constructively. “Even when we bent backwards to accommodate his uncompromising behaviour, he still did what he did. So, we are left with no choice than to do the needful. The action continues,” he declared.

Despite the breakdown, labour leaders insisted they remained open to dialogue if Dangote’s team returned in good faith. “It takes more than one party to reach a resolution.

Whenever the Dangote Refinery sees the need for genuine dialogue, we are ready, even this night, if they return,” Upah added.

NUPENG President, Williams Akporeha, was even more forceful in his criticism, accusing Dangote Refinery of attempting to suppress workers’ rights while consolidating a monopoly in Nigeria’s energy sector.

“We cannot stand an investor whose main purpose is to enslave Nigerians. Dangote cannot take us back to the dark days of slavery,” he said.

Akporeha alleged that refinery workers had been systematically denied the right to unionise, in violation of Nigerian labour laws and international conventions. “Nigerians have wished him well. He should not enslave them. He wants to monopolise the entire system and even the workers. This, we say, No to,” he declared.

The stalemate follows weeks of mounting tension after NUPENG announced plans to halt fuel loading in protest of alleged anti-union practices at the multi-billion-dollar Dangote Refinery.

PENGASSAN, the senior staff union, has also pledged solidarity, warning it could join in shutting down the refinery if the issue is not resolved.

With negotiations stalled, stakeholders now await whether the Dangote Group will return to the table or risk a prolonged industrial showdown that could disrupt fuel distribution across the country.

NAN