The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has strongly condemned what it described as the unlawful and anti-union practices of business mogul, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, and his cousin, Alhaji Sayyu Aliu Dantata.
In a statement, the union alleged that Alhaji Dantata’s company, MRS, had recently commenced the recruitment of drivers for its newly imported Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) trucks, but forced applicants to sign an undertaking not to join any of the existing unions in the oil and gas sector.
NUPENG recalled that this development was a direct implementation of a position declared by Alhaji Sayyu Dantata during a joint meeting with the union and the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) on June 23, 2025. According to NUPENG, Dantata, who represented both himself and Alhaji Aliko Dangote at the meeting, had openly declared their intention to monopolize not only crude oil refining but also the distribution of petroleum products across the country.
PRESS STATEMENT AGAINST DANGOTE_20250904_0001
Read Also
The union further alleged that as part of this strategy, 10,000 CNG trucks were imported for nationwide distribution, with plans to restrict the recruited drivers from joining established unions. Instead, a new union would reportedly be created for them.
“In a brutally cold and crude manner, Alhaji Sayyu Aliu Dantata informed NUPENG and NARTO leaders that the truck drivers they will recruit will not be allowed to join any existing union, but a new union will be formed for them,” the statement read.
NUPENG said it has made several efforts to draw the attention of relevant institutions of government to intervene and ensure that the businessmen comply with global best practices and industrial relations standards, but to no avail.
The union warned that the development was not an act of philanthropy but rather amounted to “economic sabotage” against the oil and gas workforce and the country at large.
