The House of Representatives has moved to mediate the ongoing dispute between Dangote Refinery and the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), warning that the standoff could destabilise the downstream oil and gas sector if left unresolved.
Chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Ikenga Ugochinyere, disclosed this on Friday at the close of a three-day retreat of the committee in Lagos.
Ugochinyere said the intervention aims to strike a balance between the rights of workers and the interests of investors.
“We have received submissions from various groups regarding the matter between Dangote Refinery, NUPENG and others. We need to balance labour issues with national economic interests so that investors do not lose faith in the system. The issue has to be handled carefully to avoid instability in the sector,” he said.
He commended the management of Dangote Refinery and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) for engaging with the committee on the matter.
NUPENG, however, has maintained its stance, insisting that workers’ rights must not be compromised.
“We support industrial growth and indigenous investment, but we cannot stand by if Nigerian workers are sidelined or denied their rights,” said the union’s General Secretary, Afolabi Olawale.
“The refinery is a national asset, but it must operate within the framework of labour laws and respect for collective bargaining.”
Meanwhile, the committee announced the commencement of a fresh probe into the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) acquisition of OVH Energy Marketing’s downstream assets.
The House had earlier rejected the report of a previous inquiry, citing gaps and unanswered questions, and directed a reinvestigation.
Ugochinyere said the probe would examine the financial terms, structure of the deal, assets acquired, and allegations that former OVH managers floated a new company, which later acquired OVH before assuming roles in NNPC Retail.
“This investigation is critical, not just to address unanswered questions and alleged irregularities, but also to allow the new leadership at NNPC Retail to focus fully on reforms without distraction,” he added.
The committee urged stakeholders and members of the public with relevant information to submit their inputs before its recommendations are presented on the House floor.
The $20 billion Dangote Refinery, located in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, is Africa’s largest oil refining complex and one of the world’s biggest single-train refineries, with a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day.
Commissioned in May 2023, the facility is expected to meet Nigeria’s domestic fuel demand and position the country as a net exporter of refined products.
