Court restrains NUPENG over Dangote Refinery, barring unions from strike action and roadblocks to protect operations and fuel supply

Justice E.D. Subilim of the National Industrial Court in Abuja gave the ruling on Wednesday following an ex parte motion filed by the refinery’s counsel, George Ibrahim (SAN).

Also read: Dangote Refinery NUPENG dispute escalates over $18bn question

The order, which subsists for seven days, bars the unions from blocking roads, frustrating operations, or shutting down the facilities of Dangote Refinery, MRS Oil Nigeria Plc, and MRS Oil and Gas Company Ltd.

The judge held that irreparable damage could be caused to the refinery if the injunction was not granted.

He directed that the respondents be served with the motion on notice within seven days and ordered that the matter be reassigned once the court’s vacation jurisdiction lapses on 23 September.

Ibrahim had argued that the unions’ planned actions contravened Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution, which protects freedom of association, and Section 12(4) of the Trade Union Act.

He maintained that the refinery respected voluntary union membership but could not allow actions designed to cripple operations.

In his ruling, Justice Subilim agreed that there was a serious issue to be tried. He declared that the balance of convenience lay with the refinery and that significant damage could occur if operations were disrupted.

Accordingly, the court restrained the unions from any strike or blockade pending the hearing of the substantive case.

The refinery, in a separate statement, insisted it is not opposed to unionism but emphasised that workers must retain the freedom to either join or not join unions without coercion.

It urged NUPENG and other labour groups to respect these principles to ensure industrial peace in the oil and gas sector.

NUPENG, however, accused the refinery of anti-labour practices, alleging that drivers were compelled to remove union stickers and resume loading operations against agreed protocols.

The union has since placed its members on red alert and called for federal and civil society intervention.

The Dangote Refinery, commissioned in 2023, is Africa’s largest oil processing facility and a key player in reducing Nigeria’s reliance on imported refined petroleum products.