A CIVIL society coalition under the umbrella of National Conscience Group has called on the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Depot & Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) to resolve their disputes with the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd., warning that actions perceived as sabotage could negatively impact the Nigerian public.
The group, in a statement issued following its monthly executive session held in Abuja on Thursday, September 25, 2025 and signed by its National Coordinator, Jubril Oche Ekwote, stated that the coalition’s position was informed by a recent civil society roundtable and facility tour at the Dangote Refinery complex in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos.
Ekwote, who represented the group at the event, expressed concern that the ongoing dispute could threaten the refinery’s operations.
Ekwote described the Dangote facility as a “national asset” with significant economic value for Nigeria. He highlighted the refinery’s role in employment, citing thousands of current jobs and a new initiative involving 4,000 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) tankers for product distribution. According to the group, this initiative could create an estimated 16,000 direct jobs.
“The Group finds it troubling that the refinery reportedly has to import crude oil to operate at its full capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, despite Nigeria’s daily production of approximately 1.5 million barrels,” Ekwote stated, as he contrasted this with the practice of some marketers exporting crude for refining abroad, a process he said does not contribute to local value addition and manpower development.
The group emphasised that it would not support any actions that could lead to an increase in fuel prices and further hardship for Nigerians. “We stand in solidarity with the Dangote Refinery in its drive to bolster local production, which is expected to contribute to stabilising and potentially reducing fuel prices in the country,” Ekwote concluded.
