Truck drivers under the Direct Trucking Company Drivers Association (DTCDA) have distanced themselves from the strike declared by the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) over its dispute with Dangote Refinery.
In a statement on Saturday, the association’s president, Barr. Enoch Kanawa, said NUPENG’s planned action scheduled to begin on Monday, September 8, 2025, was “uncalled for” and amounted to an abuse of union power in a deregulated downstream sector.
The drivers argued that freedom of association is guaranteed under Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, and no union should coerce drivers into membership or strike actions. “Every licenced heavy-duty driver is mature enough—physically, mentally, and emotionally—to decide which organisation best represents their interest,” the DTCDA stated.
The group urged the Federal Government to prevent the strike, stressing that any disruption to the distribution of petroleum products would hurt Nigerians and the economy. They described such a move as “a disservice and a flagrant abuse of the power of unionism.”
Reaffirming their support for deregulation and President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda, the DTCDA pledged to play a key role in ensuring the uninterrupted distribution of goods and services nationwide.
Meanwhile, Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) had earlier advised members to ignore NUPENG’s strike notice, further weakening the union’s push against Dangote Refinery.
