Dangote NUPENG charges row deepens as he alleges the union collects ₦50,000 per fuel truck, pushing up pump prices and burdening Nigerians

Aliko Dangote, accused the oil workers’ union of imposing ₦50,000 per truck levies at his refinery, warning that such practices ultimately inflate pump prices for consumers.

Also read: Dangote Refinery court order stops NUPENG strike threat

Speaking to journalists on Sunday, the President of Dangote Group alleged that the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) had turned itself into a “tax collector,” imposing unsustainable charges that fuel inefficiency in the sector.

“I am saying that there are several charges here, where if a truck is going to load, NUPENG has been collecting about ₦50,000 or ₦48,000 on each truck.

By the time everybody collects their own, you are talking about ₦80,000 to ₦84,000. So, who pays for that cost? The consumer actually pays,” Dangote said.

He described the practice as rent-seeking and recalled how his group was once “held by the neck” by transporters, prompting him to establish an in-house fleet of 4,000 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) trucks to maintain control.

“Now that we have launched our own CNG trucks, we will not allow any group to hold us hostage. If there is no evacuation, there is nothing we can do,” he stressed.

Dangote also reaffirmed that no driver should be compelled to join a union, insisting that both the constitution and labour laws make membership voluntary. “Even religion is voluntary—you cannot force anyone to convert,” he argued.

When contacted, NUPENG President Williams Akporeha neither confirmed nor denied the allegation, responding cryptically: “₦50k now? No more ₦1 per litre?”

The dispute follows recent clashes between the refinery and NUPENG, which blockaded depots in protest over drivers’ unionisation before the Federal Government intervened. A court order has since barred further blockades, but tensions remain high.

Energy experts have expressed concern. Professor Dayo Ayoade, a specialist in energy law, questioned the legality of the charges.

“The job of a union is to assist its members and protect their jobs, but it doesn’t have a right to tax or collect fees for fuel loading. Is NUPENG now a tax-collecting agency?” he asked.

Analysts warn that such hidden levies, if verified, act as informal taxes on households and businesses already struggling with high pump prices caused by forex pressures and logistics costs.

They argue that these practices undermine government efforts to stabilise prices and promote alternatives such as CNG.

To secure operations, Dangote Group has deployed its CNG fleet nationwide, aiming to reduce costs, cut reliance on imported diesel, and shield itself from union-related disruptions.

Also read: Dangote Refinery resumes gantry sales Sept 23

Industry observers are now urging the Federal Government to investigate the allegations, establish transparent rules for truck loading fees, and protect both consumer welfare and workers’ rights.