The Petroleum Workers Advancement Initiative (PEWAI) has commended Aliko Dangote and the management of Dangote Refinery for respecting workers’ rights and safeguarding Nigeria’s economic stability following the suspension of a planned strike by the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG).

In a statement on Wednesday, PEWAI’s president, Comrade Ebikeme Okorotie, highlighted the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed on September 8, 2025, between Dangote Refinery, NUPENG, and other stakeholders as a key step in strengthening industrial harmony and ensuring uninterrupted operations at the refinery.

The MoU, which also involved Sayyu Dantata, managing director of the Dangote Group; Ogbugo Ukoha, executive director at the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA); Benson Upah, acting general secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC); and Nuhu Toro, general secretary of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), effectively suspended the strike that was scheduled to begin the same day.

Under the agreement, employees at Dangote Refinery and its petrochemical operations are permitted to unionise freely, with guarantees that no worker will face victimisation for exercising this right. The unionisation process is scheduled to take place between September 9 and 22, 2025.

“Dangote’s management has shown that it is possible to respect workers’ rights while simultaneously promoting economic growth,” Okorotie said. “By engaging in dialogue, negotiating in good faith, and ensuring that no worker will be victimised, the Dangote Group has set a benchmark for industrial relations in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.”

PEWAI noted the national significance of the refinery, warning that any disruption could affect fuel supply, job security, and broader economic progress. The coalition urged NUPENG and other unions to exercise prudence in pursuing industrial action, emphasising that operations at the refinery are vital to the country’s economy.

“While we acknowledge the right of workers to unionise, this must be balanced with the wider responsibility to the nation,” Okorotie said. “The refinery represents billions of naira in investment, thousands of jobs, and critical infrastructure. Any action that threatens its operations is an action that threatens all Nigerians.”

The coalition also called on other corporate operators in the petroleum sector to emulate Dangote’s approach by combining respect for workers’ rights with responsible economic management. PEWAI commended the roles of the NLC, TUC, and other stakeholders in facilitating the MoU, describing their involvement as critical in averting potential disruption and maintaining confidence in the sector.

“Industrial disputes are inevitable in any dynamic economy, but the way they are resolved defines the health of the nation’s labour relations and economic trajectory. Dangote’s leadership, combined with the willingness of the union to engage in dialogue, has prevented a crisis and ensured that progress continues,” PEWAI said.

Okorotie concluded by urging all unions in the oil and gas sector to pursue their rights with responsibility, stressing that worker welfare should not compromise national economic development.