Former Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, has called on unions and stakeholders in Nigeria’s downstream oil sector to work together with Dangote Refinery instead of engaging in disputes that could harm the country’s economy.
Ndume made the appeal on Wednesday in reaction to the clash between Dangote Refinery and two major groups in the sector, the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Depot and Petroleum Product Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN).
NUPENG had recently gone on strike, shutting down oil depots over claims that Dangote Refinery management prevented truck drivers from joining the union, which they argued was against the Trade Union Act. DAPPMAN, representing fuel importers, also accused Dangote Refinery of giving foreign buyers lower prices than local marketers, which they described as an attempt to weaken competition.
The Department of State Services stepped in to ease tensions after the strike created fears of wider disruptions.
Reacting to the development, Ndume said it was unfair to target Dangote Refinery, noting that many private investors had previously received licenses to build refineries but failed to do so. He argued that Dangote invested where others had not, and that claims of monopoly were misplaced since the sector was deregulated.
The senator urged government regulators, including the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, to step in and prevent a deeper crisis. He also appealed to NUPENG, PENGASSAN, and other groups to embrace dialogue instead of confrontation, stressing that disputes in the oil sector often leave ordinary Nigerians bearing the burden.