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Union Gloves vs Corporate Fists: The Dangote–NUPENG Showdown

Published

3 weeks ago

September 10, 2025

By Israel Adebiyi

The impasse between the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Dangote Refinery has at last been calmed, thanks to the intervention of the Federal Government. For days, the matter stirred debates in homes, offices, and market squares, with Nigerians asking where the truth lay. At first glance, it seemed to be a straightforward struggle for workers’ rights, but beneath the chants of solidarity and the stern defenses of corporate efficiency lies a bigger question about where our national interest truly resides.

The constitutional foundation is clear. Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) provides that “every person shall be entitled to assemble freely and associate with other persons, and in particular he may form or belong to any political party, trade union or any other association for the protection of his interests.” On the surface, therefore, NUPENG’s position that workers in the Dangote Refinery should have the right to unionize appears unassailable. Rights, however, do not operate in isolation; they must be exercised with responsibility and with due regard for broader societal implications.

Dangote, on his part, argued from the perspective of efficiency, discipline, and streamlined management. His position reflects the concern of many private investors in Nigeria who see unions not always as partners in progress but as instruments of disruption. The fear is not theoretical. The country has endured decades of industrial actions that cripple essential services, often at great cost to the very citizens unions claim to protect. In this light, Dangote’s resistance may not be a desire to trample on rights, but rather an attempt to avoid the familiar cycle of strikes and standoffs that have strangled other vital sectors.

This tension raises an important question about the role of unions in Nigeria today. Historically, unions have been the moral compass of industrial society. They emerged to fight exploitation, to ensure fair wages, and to secure humane conditions of service. In many parts of the world, they remain engines of progress and defenders of justice. But the Nigerian experience has too often revealed another picture. For decades, our government-owned refineries remained in comatose state, swallowing billions of dollars in endless turnaround maintenance exercises without yielding a single barrel of refined product. Salaries were still paid, union offices remained open, but the voice of labour was curiously faint. There were no nationwide pickets demanding accountability, no strikes to compel government action, no campaigns to rescue the sector from ruin. Silence prevailed. The unions were alive, but they appeared comfortable in a system that rewarded failure.

Contrast that with the arrival of a private giant, a refinery built with vision, audacity, and sheer resilience against Nigeria’s hostile investment climate. Suddenly, the unions rediscovered their voice. They sang solidarity songs and raised placards, anchoring their grievance not on unpaid salaries or unsafe conditions, but on the right to membership. It is here that many Nigerians began to sense hypocrisy. Where was this passion when government after government wrecked our refineries and denied Nigerians the dignity of energy sufficiency? Why does the urgency to act appear strongest only when a private-sector initiative threatens the comfort zones of labour cartels? As the adage goes, “It is not every shout of fire that comes from a burning house; sometimes it comes from a kitchen disturbed.”

The problem with this form of unionism is that it begins to mirror the same oppression it claims to fight. In many Nigerian markets, traders’ unions act as cartels, fixing prices, intimidating dissenters, and distorting the natural balance of willing seller and willing buyer. Instead of protecting livelihoods, they suffocate them. This is not unlike the present standoff in the oil and gas sector, where the noble idea of protecting workers’ rights appears entangled with the less noble ambition of protecting turf and revenue through membership dues. The ordinary Nigerian is left wondering: who union help? The buyer who cannot afford inflated prices? The worker whose voice is often drowned in the politics of union executives? Or the society that pays the price when productivity is disrupted?

None of this suggests that Dangote should be sanctified or given a blank cheque. Investors, no matter how ambitious or patriotic, are not immune to the temptations of overreach. It is possible to seek efficiency at the expense of fairness, or to pursue discipline at the cost of liberty. The Constitution must be respected, and the rights of workers must not be undermined in the name of corporate ambition. But balance is essential. Rights must coexist with responsibility, and unions must rediscover their higher calling.

The bigger picture is what should concern us most. Nigeria stands at a crossroads. A working refinery capable of reducing our import bills, creating jobs, stabilizing the naira, and boosting our pride is a national priority. Any action, whether from unions or from corporate actors, that frustrates this goal is ultimately against the interest of the people. The adage says, “When two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers.” In this case, the elephants are NUPENG and Dangote, and the grass is the Nigerian people, weary from years of fuel scarcity, inflation, and economic hardship.

What is needed is not confrontation but cooperation. Strong unions can and should coexist with strong companies. Around the world, the most competitive firms are often those that engage constructively with organized labour, ensuring that productivity and fairness walk hand in hand. Nigerian unions must learn to wield their power not as a bludgeon but as a lever for progress. They must fight for safety, equity, inclusiveness, and opportunity, not merely for compulsory membership. Investors, in turn, must recognize that respecting rights and upholding dignity is not a burden but a foundation for long-term stability.

In the end, the test is simple: which path best serves Nigerians? Not the preservation of union dues, not the preservation of corporate control, but the preservation of national interest. If unions can return to their nobility and investors can temper ambition with fairness, then the people win. And that, in the final analysis, is the only victory that matters.

News

Tinubu Appoints New Heads For Key Agencies

Published

9 hours ago

October 1, 2025

Editor

President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of new leaders for three federal agencies, in a move the Presidency says is aimed at strengthening critical institutions and boosting service delivery.

The announcement was contained in a statement on Tuesday by Segun Imohiosen, the Director of Information and Public Relations at the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

At the National Biosafety Management Agency, the President appointed Bello Bwari from Niger State as the new Director-General.

His tenure, which is for an initial four years, took effect from September 18, 2025, in line with Section 5 of the NBMA Act, 2015.

The agency plays a crucial role in ensuring that modern biotechnology products, such as genetically modified crops, are safe for Nigerians and the environment.

Bwari, a trained town planner and former lawmaker, studied Geography and Urban & Regional Planning at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

He once served in the House of Representatives for Suleja/Gurara/Tafa Federal Constituency of Niger State, where he rose to become Chief Whip. He has also worked as a planning officer in the Niger State civil service and in private practice as a consultant.

In the financial sector, a former Attorney-General of Zamfara State, Barrister Aminu Junaidu was named the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Investment and Securities Tribunal.

He is to serve for five years, also effective from September 18, 2025.

The tribunal is responsible for resolving disputes in the capital market, giving investors confidence that their grievances can be addressed fairly and quickly.

For the tourism industry, lecturer and former Deputy Provost at the Federal College of Freshwater Fisheries Technology, Baga, Olayiwola Awakan was appointed as the Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation.

His four-year tenure started on September 2, 2025.

The NTDC is saddled with promoting the country’s cultural heritage and tourist destinations.

Speaking on the new appointments, Imohiosen said: “These appointments underscore President Tinubu’s commitment to strengthening key sectors and institutions in Nigeria.”

He added that the President has directed the appointees to justify the confidence reposed in them.

“The President tasks the appointees to contribute their expertise in the development of the agencies for the good of the nation,” the statement read.

News

The End Of Infertility? Skin Cells Used To Create Fertilizable Human Eggs

Published

9 hours ago

October 1, 2025

Editor

Scientists said Tuesday they have turned human skin cells into eggs and fertilised them with sperm in the lab for the first time — a breakthrough that is hoped to one day let infertile people have children.

The technology is still years away from potentially becoming available to aspiring parents, the US-led team of scientists warned.

But outside experts said the proof-of-concept research could eventually change the meaning of infertility, which affects one in six people worldwide.

If successful, the technology called in-vitro gametogenesis (IVG) would allow older women or women who lack eggs for other reasons to genetically reproduce, Paula Amato, the co-author of a new study announcing the achievement, told AFP.

“It also would allow same-sex couples to have a child genetically related to both partners,” said Amato, a researcher at the Oregon Health & Science University in the United States.

Scientists have been making significant advances in this field in recent years, with Japanese researchers announcing in July they had created mice with two biological fathers.

But the new study, published in the journal Nature Communications, marks a major advance by using DNA from humans, rather than mice.

The scientists first removed the nucleus from normal skin cells and transferred them into a donor egg which had its nucleus removed. This technique, called somatic cell nuclear transfer, was used to clone Dolly the sheep in 1996.

However a problem still had to be overcome: skin cells have 46 chromosomes, but eggs have 23.

The scientists managed to remove these extra chromosomes using a process they are calling “mitomeiosis”, which mimics how cells normally divide.

They created 82 developing eggs called oocytes, which were then fertilised by sperm via in vitro fertilisation (IVF).

After six days, less than nine percent of the embryos developed to the point that they could hypothetically be transferred to the uterus for a standard IVF process.

However the embryos displayed a range of abnormalities, and the experiment was ended.

While the nine-percent rate was low, the researchers noted that during natural reproduction only around a third of embryos make it to the IVF-ready “blastocyst” stage.

Amato estimated the technology was at least a decade away from becoming widely available.

“The biggest hurdle is trying to achieve genetically normal eggs with the correct number and complement of chromosomes,” she said.

Breakthrough

Ying Cheong, a reproductive medicine researcher at the UK’s University of Southampton, hailed the “exciting” breakthrough.

“For the first time, scientists have shown that DNA from ordinary body cells can be placed into an egg, activated, and made to halve its chromosomes, mimicking the special steps that normally create eggs and sperm,” she said.

“While this is still very early laboratory work, in the future it could transform how we understand infertility and miscarriage, and perhaps one day open the door to creating egg- or sperm-like cells for those who have no other options.”

Other researchers trying to create eggs in the lab are using a different technique. It involves reprogramming skin cells into what are called induced pluripotent stem cells — which have the potential to develop into any cell in the body — then turning those into eggs.

“It’s too early to tell which method will be more successful,” Amato said. “Either way, we are still many years away.”
The researchers followed existing US ethical guidelines regulating the use of embryos, the study said.
(GUARDIAN)

News

Why We Named Mandy Kiss Anti-drug Abuse Ambassador – Lagos Commissioner

Published

11 hours ago

September 30, 2025

Editor

Lagos State Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mobolaji Ogunlende, has explained the rationale behind the appointment of popular content creator, Ayomiposi Oluwadahunsi, known as Mandy Kiss, as an ambassador for the Lagos State Kicks Against Drug Abuse initiative.

Ogunlende, in a viral video on Tuesday, conferred the ambassadorship on Mandy Kiss.

He said, “We’re here with Mandy Kiss, and you know, she’s actually agreed to become one of our LASKADA brand ambassadors, Lagos State Kicks Against Drug Abuse.”

Describing drug abuse as a pandemic, the Commissioner said, “We must work in collaboration with those that can reach as many people as possible, and we know Mandy Kiss has a large followership, 402,000. We’ve had conversations, and we’re trying to do things differently.

“With the powers conferred on me, I make her one of our brand ambassadors. So, say no to drugs. Say what? Say no to drugs.”

The decision comes after a 25-year-old influencer publicly announced plans to pursue a controversial Guinness World Record attempt to sleep with 100 men, which had raised concerns over its alignment with societal values.

Taking to his social media accounts on Tuesday, Ogunlende shared pictures of Mandy Kiss’s unveiling in a post titled “A society thrives when it listens, engages, and redirects its future with compassion and purpose.”

He justified the appointment, stating that the content creator wields significant influence among our youth, our future leaders, and it’s vital that she be guided rather than dismissed.

Ogunlende’s post read, “With the Babajide Sanwo-Olu-led administration being responsive and responsible, earlier today, I had the privilege of meeting with Ayomiposi Oluwadahunsi, popularly known as Mandykiss, a prominent content creator, following her public announcement of plans to pursue a Guinness World Record in a pursuit that didn’t align with our societal values or reflect the standards we uphold as a people and State.

“Mandykiss had initially declared her intent to attempt this record, but as a government that listens, we heard her subsequent expressions and responded swiftly with empathy.

“In an atmosphere of understanding and responsibility, we engaged in candid discussions, critically assessed the situation, and explored healthier, more constructive paths forward.

“We recognise the importance of mental health and emotional wellness, and we’re steadfast in our commitment to promoting these and crafting inclusive interventions that uplift and safeguard our citizens.”

The Lagos Commissioner added, “Mandykiss wields significant influence among young people, our future leaders, and it’s vital that she be guided rather than dismissed. What was slated to be the start of her controversial record attempt has instead become a pivotal moment of redirection.

“She has now embraced a purpose-driven cause, standing for something greater than herself. Mandykiss has been appointed an Ambassador of LASKADA (Lagos State Kicks Against Drug Abuse), partnering with us in combating drug abuse and substance misuse among youths in Lagos.”

He said the influencer’s “journey reflects transformation rather than cancellation, a powerful illustration of what is achievable when young individuals are met with love, guidance, and opportunities for positive growth.

“Mandykiss’s story underscores the impact of compassion and purposeful engagement. It is a testament to redirecting potential towards meaningful impact.”

Recall that this appointment comes after Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Festus Keyamo, in August, announced plans to engage Fuji star, Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, popularly known as KWAM 1, as an ambassador for proper airport security protocol, after controversy over his alleged misconduct at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.