The Nigerian Liquefied & Compressed Gases Association (NLCGA) strongly condemns the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) for its extortionate practices and disruptive actions against Dangote Refinery. NUPENG’s actions are detrimental to Nigeria’s economic progress, particularly in the downstream sector.
Extortionate Practices
NUPENG extorts as much as ₦72,000 (across LPG Terminals nationwide which was less than ₦30,000 two years ago) from LPG truck drivers before allowing them to load LPG, (resulting in unaccounted funds that contribute nothing to the industry’s growth or development.
Estimates suggest that the annual sums extorted exceed ₦3 billion for LPG operations alone, highlighting the significant financial burden imposed on industry stakeholders. In the last 24 months, illegal fees extorted by NUPENG-PTD for LPG loading has increased by over 20% while government battles to bring down cost of LPG
Dispute with Dangote Refinery
The current dispute between NUPENG and Dangote Refinery centers around unionization rights with NUPENG accusing the refinery of anti-union practices and Dangote Refinery asserting its commitment to constitutionally protected labour rights.
Despite a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the two parties, NUPENG has continued to disrupt operations at the refinery, potentially leading to nationwide fuel shortages and economic instability.
NLCGA’s Position
NLCGA pointed out clearly that the association stands in solidarity with Dangote Refinery in resisting NUPENG- PTD’s actions that are detrimental to the industry and urge NUPENG to prioritize dialogue and respect existing agreements. NUPENG’s actions are detrimental to Nigeria’s economic progress, and it’s imperative that the government steps in to rein in these illegal practices carried out under the guise of unionism. The government must intervene to protect the interests of Nigerian workers and the broader economy, ensuring that union activities are conducted within the bounds of the law and without harming the nation’s economic stability.
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