From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
The Federal Government is currently in a closed-door meeting with the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and other stakeholders, in a bid to avert a looming nationwide strike in the oil industry.
NUPENG had last week announced plans to begin an industrial action from September 8, 2025, over the Dangote Refinery’s move to import 4,000 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)-powered trucks for direct distribution of fuel to retailers.
Although the Federal Government had intervened to halt the strike, the union’s president, Williams Akporeha, insisted the action would proceed pending the outcome of the meeting with government officials on Monday.
Addressing delegates in his office in Abuja, before the press was asked to excuse the session, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Dingyadi, appealed for restraint and dialogue, stressing that the oil sector was too critical to the nation’s economy to be destabilised by industrial action.
“All of the distinguished ladies and gentlemen who are here representing the various interests that we have invited for this meeting, I want to use the opportunity to warmly welcome you all to this meeting and to thank you for creating time to be with us at this very late hour.
“You are aware that the purpose of this meeting is to consolidate and see how we can negotiate a kind of peaceful settlement on the dispute that we have found out to be existing between our labour unions and the oil industry and the employers in Dangote Group.
“What we are discussing today is very, very important to the peace, stability of our country and our economy. The oil industry is not a sector that we play with and it is very important for the economy of our country and for our people,” the Minister said.
He urged both parties to show listening ears and demonstrate accommodation in order to reach an amicable resolution, assuring that the Federal Government was committed to finding a workable settlement within the limits of what is possible.
The meeting, initially scheduled for 10 a.m., did not commence until about 5 p.m. Before it went behind closed doors, the Minister expressed optimism that the discussions would yield positive results, adding that the outcome would be communicated to the press afterwards.
