Dangote Refinery has assured Nigerians that the ongoing strike by the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) will not result in fuel scarcity across the country.
Speaking on Tuesday, the refinery’s spokesman, Anthony Chiejina, confirmed that operations remain stable despite the industrial action, which began on Monday and has since gained support from both local and international unions.
“There is no fuel shortage, everything is going on,” Chiejina said, adding that negotiations were still ongoing between the union, the government, and the company.
The strike comes as Dangote Refinery—Africa’s largest, with a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day—begins deploying its own drivers to deliver fuel directly to retailers. NUPENG has alleged that these new drivers were hired on the condition that they would not join the union, a claim strongly disputed by the company.
Before the refinery’s commissioning last year, Nigeria imported almost all its petrol despite being a major crude oil producer. Analysts have long attributed this to years of neglect and mismanagement of state-owned refineries.
Dangote’s entry into the market has already driven down petrol prices for consumers while disrupting long-standing interests in the country’s oil sector, which has been plagued by decades of inefficiency and corruption. However, critics have raised concerns about the refinery’s growing dominance, warning of potential monopoly risks given the backing of Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote.
Last month, the refinery announced plans to deploy thousands of compressed natural gas (CNG)-powered trucks nationwide for distribution, but the rollout has faced delays due to logistics challenges.
