There are strong indications the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) would direct members to resume work immediately, as Dangote Refinery has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), granting recognition for unionization.
After a breakdown of talks on Monday night, all parties had reconvened on Tuesday at the instance of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, where an understanding was reached by all.parties involved.
The MoU sighted by our correspondent, had signatures of the Managing Director Dangote Group, Sayyu Dantata, President of NUPENG,
Comrade Akporeha Williams, General Secretary of NUPENG Comrade Afolabi Olawale and the Director of Trade Union Services and industrial Relations for the minister of Labour and Employment, Falonipe Amos
Others were signatures of Comrade Benson Upah for the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Nuhu Toro for the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), O.K Ukoha from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and Otunba Jibrin from the Dangote Group.
The MoU reads: “Following the threat to embark on industrial action by the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers
(NUPENG) over the following points in dispute, a) Refusal of the Management of Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Limited to allow their employees to be unionized by registered labour unions, a conciliation meeting was held at the instance of the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment.
“It was revealed in the course of the meeting that: the management agreed with this fact and responded that they are not averse to the unionization of their employees by labour unions in tandem with the provisions of the extant labour laws
“After exhaustive deliberations, the following resolutions were reached by both parties: that since workers’ unionization is a right in line with the provisions of the extant laws, the management of Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals agreed to the unionization of employees of Dangote Refinery and unionization of employees of Petrochemicals, who are willing to unionize.
“That the process of unionization shall commence immediately and be completed within two weeks (9th – 22nd September 2025), and it was agreed that the employer will not set up any other union.
“Arising from the strike notice, no worker or employee of Dangote refinery and Petrochemical will be victimized. Parties will revert to the Honourable Minister of Labour a week after the conclusion of the engagement. Based on the MoU, NUPENG agreed to suspend the industrial action with immediate effect.”
