Dangote Fires Back at NUPENG, Defends Fuel Price Cut as Gift to Nigerians
Aliko Dangote, President of the Dangote Group, on Monday reacted sharply to criticisms from the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) over Dangote Refinery’s recent fuel price reduction, calling the union’s warning misleading and reaffirming his company’s commitment to easing fuel scarcity and lowering costs.
The union had cautioned the public against embracing the price cut, alleging that the refinery was sidestepping workers’ rights, and even warned that the move was akin to a “Greek gift.” In response, Dangote dismissed the criticism. “They said we gave Nigerians a Greek gift, why don’t you give them the French one,” he remarked. He added that “even if it’s a Greek gift, it means that it is a gift, it will still be there all the time.”
Dangote revealed that alongside the drop in petrol pump prices in several states, the refinery has launched a scheme to deploy compressed natural gas (CNG) trucks directly to filling stations, a measure he says will reduce logistics costs and speed up supply.
He also said the plan will create approximately 24,000 jobs, bolstering claims that the refinery-led initiatives are not mere cost-saving measures but also significant opportunities for employment.
Since the refinery began producing petrol a year ago, Dangote said, Nigerians’ decades-long problem with fuel queues has ended. He emphasised that the refinery has the capacity not only to meet domestic demand but also to export. Between June and early September 2025, he said, over 1.1 billion litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) were exported.
On issues raised by NUPENG regarding labor rights and union representation, Dangote clarified that while the company respects trade unions generally, drivers involved in the new CNG trucking scheme may choose whether or not to join any union. He also promised that workers in these initiatives will enjoy benefits including salaries well above the minimum wage, life and health insurance (covering family), pension, and other professional supports.
Dangote also used the occasion to reiterate the refinery’s broader goals: ensuring Nigeria reduces reliance on fuel imports, strengthening industrialisation in Africa, and protecting local industries from adverse foreign competition.