Fuel Price Crisis Deepens: FG, NUPENG, Dangote Meeting Ends in Deadlock as Petrol Scarcity Looms

Story: written by Myra Chinonso September 9,2025
Nigeria’s fuel price crisis is set to worsen as the high-level meeting between the Federal Government, the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), the Dangote Group, and other key oil sector stakeholders ended in a deadlock on Monday, September 8, 2025.

The meeting, convened by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Dingyadi, was aimed at resolving the ongoing dispute between NUPENG and the Dangote Group. However, as of Monday night, no official resolution was announced by the government, union leaders, or Dangote representatives.

Dingyadi had earlier stressed the importance of the talks, describing them as crucial for restoring industrial harmony in Nigeria’s oil sector. But sources familiar with the discussion revealed that “no concrete agreement was reached,” leaving Nigerians anxious over a possible escalation of the crisis.

On Monday, NUPENG enforced its strike by shutting down major depots and fuel stations in Lagos and Warri, sparking transport fare hikes in parts of Delta State. In Abuja, pump prices remained between N885 and N910 per litre, with some stations like Empire selling as high as N950.

Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) president, Abubakar Maigandi, warned that unless both parties reach a sustainable resolution, Nigerians will continue to face economic hardship from rising petrol prices and looming scarcity.

Adding to the tension, other unions including the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), the Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association of Nigeria (NOGASA), and the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) have threatened to join the strike, a move that could cripple fuel distribution nationwide.

The dispute stems from NUPENG’s opposition to Dangote Group’s plan to deploy 4,000 compressed natural gas (CNG) trucks for petroleum distribution. NUPENG president Williams Akporeha accused Dangote of pursuing “anti-labour policies designed to enslave workers,” while Dangote has remained firm on its position.

With negotiations stalled and unions mobilizing, Nigerians now fear that petrol scarcity and higher fuel prices may hit harder in the coming days.

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