NUPENG Strike Paralyzes Fuel Loading Across Nigeria
The nationwide strike by NUPENG has shut down Dangote and other depots pushing petrol prices to over ₦1700 per litre and sparking fears of widespread fuel scarcity .
On Monday 8 September 2025 the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers began an indefinite nationwide strike that brought fuel loading activities to a standstill across the country At the Dangote Refinery and other major depots tanker drivers aligned with the union blocked access points making it impossible for trucks to load fuel The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria also joined the action warning filling stations against defying the directive with fines of up to one million naira threatened for those who attempted to break ranks .
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Widespread Depot Closures and Disruptions
From Lagos to Port Harcourt Warri and Calabar the strike caused a complete halt in operations In Lagos trucks were turned back at the gates of Dangote Refinery Rainoil and Integrated depots In Warri depot loading was suspended as tanker drivers enforced the union’s orders Calabar saw the shutdown of Matrix and First Fortune depots leaving trucks stranded while in Port Harcourt Soroman and Evergreen depots were sealed off Similar disruptions were reported at Masters Energy and TSL depots where tanker drivers controlled access These coordinated actions heightened fears of scarcity across Delta State and beyond as fuel distribution was effectively crippled .
Sharp Spike in Fuel Prices
The immediate effect of the strike was a rapid surge in petrol prices In Calabar prices more than doubled within hours with motorists paying as high as ₦1700 per litre Long queues formed at filling stations as panic buying set in while transport fares rose by at least ten percent compounding the hardship for commuters and businesses Even before the strike the ex depot price of petrol from the Dangote Refinery had been raised from ₦825 to ₦840 per litre adding more pressure to an already fragile situation .
Roots of the Dispute
At the heart of the strike is NUPENGs opposition to Dangotes plan to deploy thousands of Compressed Natural Gas trucks for nationwide fuel distribution The refinery initially announced 4000 trucks later increasing the number to 10000 The union insists that drivers of these trucks are being denied the right to unionize describing the move as an anti labour practice According to NUPENG the plan undermines workers collective bargaining rights and threatens job security for its members .
Political Backdrop and Broader Implications
Despite the growing disruptions a spokesperson for Dangote Refinery maintained that operations were ongoing and dismissed claims of preventing workers from forming or joining unions Still industry observers pointed out that the strike was not the only challenge facing the refinery Its Residue Fluidized Catalytic Cracking Unit has been offline since 29 August 2025 due to technical issues and estimates suggest the unit could remain shut for up to three months This development further raises concerns about fuel supply stability .
The strike and the refinerys technical problems together pose a serious threat to Nigerias economy Prolonged disruptions could inflate transport costs push up the prices of goods and services and deepen economic hardship for millions of citizens The possibility of social unrest cannot be ruled out if the situation persists .
Conclusion and Path Forward
The NUPENG strike has triggered a nationwide halt in depot operations and caused petrol prices to climb to record highs With a critical refinery unit already down the risk of severe fuel scarcity looms large The dispute over union rights and the rollout of new CNG trucks has become more than just a labour issue it is now a matter of national economic stability .
Resolving the crisis will require urgent dialogue between NUPENG Dangote Refinery marketers and government representatives Unless swift action is taken the impact on inflation transportation and everyday life will continue to mount testing the resilience of both the economy and the people .