In a statement signed by NUPENG President Williams Akporeha and General Secretary Afolabi Olufemi, the union condemned the Dangote group's attempt to "bring back slavery" by restricting workers' right to freedom of association within the petroleum sector. NUPENG dismissed DTCDA as an unauthorized entity aimed at weakening the statutorily recognized union’s control of petroleum tanker drivers. The union's Petroleum Tanker Drivers branch has pledged to withdraw services and halt petroleum product lifting from depots nationwide starting Monday, September 8.
Supporting NUPENG’s stance, the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) aligned with the strike call, while the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) issued a three-day forewarning of suspension of petroleum product lifting and dispensing beginning Tuesday, September 9. PETROAN President Dr. Billy Gillis-Harry urged the Federal Government to intervene to prevent monopolistic practices linked to Dangote Refinery’s direct distribution model and to mitigate the likely socio-economic hardships caused by the strike.
The government responded by convening an emergency conciliation meeting on Monday, seeking to avert the strike. Labor Minister Muhammad Dingyadi appealed to NUPENG to reconsider, warning of the severe impacts a shutdown of the petroleum sector would have on Nigeria’s economy and citizens. The minister also called on the Nigeria Labour Congress to withdraw a solidarity red alert directed at affiliate unions. Despite the government’s efforts, NUPENG reiterated its determination to proceed with the industrial action until the rights of its members to unionize are respected.