Former Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, has appealed to stakeholders in Nigeria’s downstream oil sector to embrace cooperation rather than conflict, warning that continuous hostility could undermine the nation’s already fragile economy.
His remarks followed the growing rift between Dangote Refinery and two major industry groups — the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN).
The federal lawmaker, in a statement released on Wednesday, expressed concern over the dispute which recently escalated into industrial action by NUPENG, leading to a shutdown of several depots. The union accused the Dangote Refinery of preventing its truck drivers from joining the union, a move they claimed violated provisions of the Trade Union Act.
DAPPMAN, on its part, alleged that Dangote was deliberately creating an uneven playing field by offering cheaper product prices to international traders while selling at higher rates to Nigerian marketers. The tension grew so heated that the Department of State Services (DSS) had to step in and mediate to avert what it described as a possible threat to national security.
Ndume, however, criticized what he described as “a dangerous media campaign” designed to tarnish Dangote’s image both locally and abroad. According to him, the billionaire industrialist took on a risk that many before him had failed to shoulder despite being given the same opportunities.
He recalled that as far back as 2002, the government issued licenses to about 12 private operators to build refineries in a bid to reduce dependence on fuel imports. A second batch of licenses was issued in 2007, after the first set was revoked, yet none of those operators made any meaningful progress. He added that even under the Muhammadu Buhari administration, more licenses were given for modular refineries, but most of those investors still failed to deliver.
“Those who now parade themselves as fuel importers had their chances to change the narrative, but they chose not to,” Ndume said. “Instead of working to build, they are now uniting against Dangote and accusing him falsely of monopolising the market. That argument does not hold water in a deregulated industry where no player has been granted undue advantage.”
The senator urged regulators, including the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), to step in and prevent the growing dispute from spiralling into a crisis that could harm the sector.
He also called on NUPENG, PENGASSAN, and other stakeholders to prioritize dialogue over confrontation, stressing that the nation’s interests must come first.
“Our collective focus should be on balancing the rights of workers with the economic realities before us,” Ndume emphasized. “Nigeria cannot afford unnecessary divisions at a time when unity and collaboration are crucial for progress.”
