The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has warned its stakeholders in the oil industry to disregard any new group that has emerged within the oil industry outside the established unions.

The caution comes in response to a reportedly scheduled meeting by the Association of Distributors and Transporters of Petroleum Products (ADITOP) on Thursday in Abuja to discuss support for truck owners and tackle challenges faced by oil marketers.

But NUPENG, in a statement signed by President Comrade Williams Akporeha and General Secretary Comrade Afolabi Olawale, has stressed that only the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Major Energy Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN), and Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) are legitimate bodies in the sector.

NUPENG stated that it, along with the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), is the only legally recognised umbrella union in Nigeria that represents oil and gas workers.

The union, however, warned the public and government institutions to exercise caution and avoid engaging with groups that have not received official sanction.

It also urged the public to disregard any communications or invitations from the new association, reaffirming their support only for established associations within the downstream sector.