The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has suspended its planned strike following a successful agreement reached with the management of Dangote Refinery.
The truce was sealed in a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed on September 8 by key stakeholders, including Sayyu Dantata, Managing Director of Dangote Group; Ogbugo Ukoha, Executive Director at the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA); Benson Upah, Acting General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC); and Nuhu Toro, General Secretary of the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
According to the MoU, both parties agreed that unionization is a fundamental right under Nigerian law.
Consequently, Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals management consented to allow willing employees to freely join NUPENG.
The process is to commence immediately and must be concluded between September 9 and 22, 2025.
The agreement further stated that no employee will face victimization as a result of the strike notice, and the refinery will not establish any alternative unions.
Both sides are expected to brief the Minister of Labour one week after the conclusion of the unionization exercise.
NUPENG, which had earlier threatened to begin strike action on September 8 over alleged anti-union practices at the refinery, said it suspended the industrial action in the interest of dialogue and industrial harmony.