As efforts to end the strike action called by the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) over a disagreement with Dangote Refinery, a faith-based human rights group, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has urged the unions to key into Dangote’s vision of reducing hardship for Nigerians through the low price of petrol.
The union’s grouse has been that Dangote Refinery has adopted anti-labour practices by barring unionisation at its refinery and seeking to dominate the oil supply chain.
MURIC’s founder and executive director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, issued a statement on Tuesday calling unions to soft-pedal, saying this is not the best time to go on strike.
While noting that Nigeria was just coming out of the woods due to the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms, it said a strike in the oil sector at this point could derail them and take us back to the dark days of fuel shortages.
“We have seen the good effect of the emergence of a local private refinery in the last few months. We saw how one litre of petrol, which used to cost N1,300 after removing the subsidy, came down drastically. It said it is now N860 or N900, depending on location, after Dangote refinery came to the rescue”.
MURIC appealed to the unions to allow Nigerians to enjoy the full benefits of a local refinery that is already being celebrated worldwide.
Ethiopia and Dangote Refinery recently signed a $2.5 billion deal to build a massive fertiliser plant in Ethiopia. The United States imported over two million barrels of Dangote’s jet fuel in March 2025.
“MURIC subscribes to the core principle of utilitarianism, which is the greatest happiness for many people. We therefore urge the unions to key into Dangote’s vision of reduced hardship for Nigerians through the low price of petrol.’’
