Hospitals Brace for Disruption as NUPENG Strike Warned by Minister Appointed by Tinubu

In a bid to prevent a potential shutdown of the petroleum sector, the Federal Government of Nigeria has intensified efforts to resolve a labor dispute between the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Dangote Refinery.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, invited all parties for a conciliation meeting on Monday, September 8, 2025. In a statement made by the ministry's Head of Information, Patience Onuobia, Dingyadi stressed the importance of the petroleum sector to the nation's economy and warned that a strike would have a significant negative impact.

The Minister of State for Health, Ishaq Salako, expressed similar concerns, stating that a strike by NUPENG could affect the health sector due to the heavy dependence of hospitals on diesel and petrol generators. Salako warned of an adverse effect on the health sector and appealed for a balance between Dangote's economic interests and the right to associate and unionize.

Dingyadi called on the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to withdraw the "red alert" it had issued, directing affiliate unions to prepare for solidarity action against what it described as "anti-worker and anti-union practices" by the Dangote Group. He also pleaded with NUPENG to rescind their decision to shut down the petroleum sector from September 8, 2025.

Despite these appeals, NUPENG reaffirmed on Sunday that the strike would proceed. However, on the day of the meeting, all parties—NUPENG, NLC, Dangote Refinery, and Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment—held a conciliation meeting brokered by the Ministry. The meeting resulted in an agreement that averted the planned nationwide strike by NUPENG over anti-union practices at Dangote Refinery.

Dingyadi assured Nigerians that the matter would be resolved amicably and emphasized that stability in the petroleum sector is vital to the nation's economic survival. He did not specify any particular resolution to the dispute in his statements.

Most health facilities in Nigeria rely heavily on diesel and petrol to power critical equipment. The averted strike has prevented potential disruptions to these services, ensuring the continued provision of essential healthcare to the nation.

Hospitals Brace for Disruption as NUPENG Strike Warned by Minister Appointed by Tinubu