NUPENG Begins Strike As ADITOP Accuses Union Of Excessive Levies, Extortions
By Sunday Etuka, Abuja
Nigerians may be experiencing fuel scarcity across the country in the coming days, as the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) commenced industrial action today.
Although all the calls put across to the National President of NUPENG, Prince Williams and National Secretary of NUPENG, Afolabi Adewale, were not answered, a source at the National Secretariat, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told TheFact Daily that the Union has proceeded on strike.
The NUPENG’s decision to begin the strike action on Monday was in defiance of the earlier call by the Federal Government for the Union to shelve the action.
Worried about the consequences of the strike on the nation’s economy, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, on Sunday appealed to NUPENG to reconsider its stance.
Dingyadi, also pleaded with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to withdraw the red alert it issued to its affiliate unions to be on standby for a nationwide strike in solidarity with the petroleum workers.
He submitted that since his Ministry has intervened in the matter, the unions should shelve their plan of shutting down the petroleum industry.
“I have invited all the parties for a conciliation meeting tomorrow, Monday, September 8, 2025. Since I have intervened, I plead with NUPENG to rescind their decision to shut down the petroleum sector from tomorrow. I also appeal to the NLC to withdraw the red alert it issued to its affiliate unions to be on standby for a nationwide strike in solidarity with NUPENG.
“The petroleum sector is very important to this country. It constitutes the core of the country’s economy. A strike in the petroleum sector, even for just a day, will have an adverse consequential impact on the economy. It will not only lead to heavy revenue losses by the country, running into billions of Naira, but also cause untold hardship and difficulties for Nigerians.
“Hence, I plead with the unions to give peace a chance. I assure them that this matter will be resolved amicably to the satisfaction of all the parties involved,” the Minister said.
However, efforts to get the parties to speak or give an update of the conciliation meeting were unsuccessful at press time.
Meanwhile, the Association of Distributors and Transporters of Petroleum Products (ADITОР), has accused NUPENG and Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) of imposing excessive levies and extorting Tanker Owners.
In a statement made available by the ADITOP National President, Alhaji Lawal Danzaki, and ADITOP Consultant, Dr. Maurice Ibe, the association revealed that PTD and other hundreds of other unions and associations, hiding under the NUPENG umbrella, extort ADITOP members and depot Owners One Naira (N1.00) Per Liter of every product loaded in a depot.
Additionally, it said NUPENG through Petroleum Tanker Drivers, collects an additional One Naira (N1.00) Per liter loaded by any marketer. This is in addition to loading charges of N80,000 to N100,000 per truck.
Lamenting the outright extortion and economic sabotage of NUPENG, PTD and their affiliated unions and associations, ADITOP stated that at a time when Major and Independent Marketers are no longer receiving subsidies, the act drives up the pump prices of all petroleum products thereby creating additional hardship on the Nigerian public.
“In the past five years, we have written multiple petitions to various government agencies on NUPENG’s extortion and illegal activities within the downstream sector.
“These petitions have been adjudicated by the Inspector General Police, Department of State Security Services, The National Security Advisor, and The Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
“Copies of these petitions will be made available to members of the press.
“It is ironic that the same union that has done everything possible to maintain a fatalistic monopoly of activities within the oil and gas industry is today crying wolf, and accusing Nigeria’s Pride and Pre-eminent business man, Alhaji Aliko Dangote of monopoly.
“It is against this background that we categorically and unequivocally support Alhaji Aliko Dangote and The Dangote Group in their efforts to re-engineer Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Industry, providing some sense of sanity and stability in both supply and distribution,” the association noted.
