On Monday, NUPENG didn’t just snub the Federal Government — it issued a bold ultimatum: no compromise, no ceasefire, no mercy.
In one of the rawest displays of labor defiance in recent memory, the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) refused to attend a conciliation meeting orchestrated by the Labour Minister. Their message? A powerful and unapologetic warning: “Our strike begins, and only real reform will stop it.”

On Sunday, the Federal Government had appealed to NUPENG to shelve its strike, assuring that it had stepped in to mediate the matter. The government also urged the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to withdraw the red alert it issued to affiliate unions in solidarity with petroleum workers.

The dispute centres on Dangote Group’s alleged policy against unionisation of its employees, a position NUPENG insists is unacceptable.

“No oil worker will work with Dangote Group without being unionised,” the union declared, accusing the company of pursuing an “anti-workers and anti-union agenda” designed to “enslave” employees rendering critical services in its refinery.

According to the ministry’s spokesperson, Patience Onuobia, the peace meeting was slated to commence by 10am at the Minister’s Conference Room.

However, by 2:30 pm, the session had yet to begin as NUPENG officials were still in Lagos coordinating strike mobilisation.

NUPENG Vs FG: The Face-off

A tripartite meeting was convened by the Labour Ministry to avert a nation-wide strike, but NUPENG deliberately skipped it as tension brewed over Dangote refinery’s controversial anti-union policies.

The union is calling for sweeping changes — including proper union representation and respect for workers’ rights — in response to what they’ve described as a “monopolistic war on trade unions.”

Also Read: Fuel Strike Showdown: NUPENG Defies FG As Dangote Faces Labour War

The Labour Ministry had already appealed publicly and sought to de-escalate with a meeting scheduled for Monday — which NUPENG blindsided by rejecting.

What This Says About Power Dynamics

NUPENG’s move echoes a painful truth: in Nigeria, power isn’t held in Aso Rock — it’s under the hoods of tanker trucks and union halls. Their defiance reframed the narrative: this isn’t just a strike threat. It’s an assertion that labor wields the ultimate veto power over the economy.

For many Nigerians, the subtext is undeniable: if NUPENG holds, the country stands still—both physically (with fuel) and politically.

A Strike That Reflects Far More Than Fuel

What started as a disagreement over union rights has now ballooned into a collision between corporate power, labor dignity, and state authority.

By refusing to attend the FG meeting, NUPENG didn’t just skip dialogue, they declared that only decisive action will make them reconsider. If the government can’t deliver tangible reform, this standoff could implode, dragging Nigeria’s economy—and gratitude for Dangote’s refinery—into chaos.