By Muhammad Mamman
The Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) has thrown its weight behind the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) in its escalating dispute with the Dangote Group over alleged monopolistic practices in the downstream oil and gas industry.
NUPENG had on Friday announced plans for a nationwide strike beginning Monday, 8 September, in protest against what it described as anti-union labour practices tied to the use of newly imported Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) trucks by the Dangote Refinery. The union argues that the move, framed as an efficiency and sustainability drive, is a backdoor attempt to sideline traditional players in the distribution chain.
In a statement issued on Sunday, NARTO’s National President, Othman Yusuf, said the association “unequivocally rejects” Dangote’s plan for direct, free distribution of petroleum products, warning that it threatens to wipe out independent transporters who collectively operate more than 30,000 trucks nationwide.
“Such a scheme is neither sustainable nor fair. It risks eliminating thousands of transporters who are the backbone of petroleum distribution in Nigeria,” the statement read. NARTO further noted that the livelihoods of drivers, mechanics, loaders, and millions of dependants are at stake, alongside billions in investments financed by local and international banks.
The association cautioned that concentrating petroleum distribution in the hands of a single private operator could undermine energy security, fuel mass unemployment, and trigger social unrest. It also warned of long-term risks of price manipulation and supply strangulation under monopoly control.
Quoting Section 212 of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), NARTO reminded regulators, particularly the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), that the law demands a level playing field in the downstream sector. “To ignore this provision is to endanger fair competition, consumer protection, and the overall health of the Nigerian economy,” the group insisted.
Calling for urgent dialogue, NARTO urged the federal government, relevant ministries and agencies, the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), and the Dangote Group to sit at the table with stakeholders to avert disruption and ensure fair competition.
“NARTO reaffirms its full support for NUPENG in this struggle. Our action is not against investment or industrial growth but against monopolistic practices that endanger jobs, national security, and Nigeria’s economic stability,” the association declared.
