Nigeria’s oil industry is no stranger to strikes. But this time, it is different. The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has threatened to down tools in protest against Dangote Refinery. Yet, truck drivers themselves are saying: hold on, not so fast.
The Direct Trucking Company Drivers Association (DTCDA) insists the strike is unnecessary, warning it could cripple petroleum supply. They argue that in a deregulated economy, workers should be free to join or not join any union. Forcing drivers into association, they say, violates Nigeria’s constitution.
This is more than a labour dispute. It is about the balance between workers’ rights and national survival. Truck drivers, the silent workhorses of Nigeria’s fuel distribution, are asking government to intervene.
The last thing Nigerians need is another strike-induced scarcity. At a time when the economy is fragile, oil unions must remember: their fight is not only about rights but also about responsibility.
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