General
Dangote Refinery Fuel Distribution Model Tears Unions Apart
By Adedapo Adesanya
Some stakeholders in the nation’s downstream oil sector are at loggerheads over the industrial action threatened by the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) as regards Dangote Refinery’s alleged anti-union practices.
The development has raised questions, with many quarters calling for a speedy resolution before the action commences fully.
On its part, the Direct Trucking Company Drivers Association (DTCDA) has called on the federal government to take necessary measures to prevent coercive recruitment by any organisation, citing the constitutionally guaranteed right to freedom of association.
NUPENG had accused Mr Aliko Dangote and Mr Sayyu Dantata, owner of MRS filling stations, of engaging in alleged anti-union practices. The union claimed the businessmen were trying to monopolise Nigeria’s downstream oil and gas distribution while suppressing workers’ rights.
Recall that in June, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery announced a major initiative to transform Nigeria’s fuel distribution landscape. At the time, the company said that effective August 15, 2025, it would begin distributing petrol and diesel to marketers, petrol dealers, manufacturers, telecoms firms, aviation, and other large users nationwide.
To ensure the smooth take-off of this scheme, the refinery said it invested in the procurement of 4,000 brand-new Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)-powered tankers.
However, due to supply challenges, this has not fully taken off.
For NUPENG, whose membership includes petrol tanker drivers, it alleged that the drivers recruited for the CNG trucks are being forced to sign undertakings not to belong to any existing union in the oil and gas industry.
The union called on the federal government and its agencies to call the two businessmen to order, adding that if anti-union attitudes persist, it would mobilise its members to fight within the framework of the law.
Despite this, others are not fully onboard with DTCDA, in a statement signed by its National President, Mr Enoch Kanawa, on Saturday, clarifying that it is not joining issues with the NUPENG as there is no basis for that.
“We, as stakeholders in the Nigerian transport industry, deem it fit to put issues in their proper perspectives so that the public is not being manipulated and taken for a ride because the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria guarantees the freedom of association for persons to voluntarily choose who and whom to associate or partner with. More so that the Nigerian economy is fully deregulated.
“The DTCDA is an association and not a union. It is an organisation of all drivers, both in the wet and dry cargo, of the transport sector, of which Dangote drivers, MRS and other drivers of established transport companies are members.”
The association said its roles include getting the oil firms to cater for the general welfare of their drivers “in terms of health, insurance and pension benefits, especially post retirement.”
The DTCDA said it is open to all drivers who subscribe to the association’s objective and who are desirous of a better working life during and after retirement.
“This is to give them and their families a guaranteed future. The leadership of the DTCDA is committed to the transparent, accountable and good governance of the association in the promotion and protection of its members’ welfare, ensuring safe driving, education, safety and sanity on our highways.”
The DTCDA said it will not interfere with the operation of any organisation, union or association in Nigeria; rather, drivers should be allowed to have a freedom of choice on which union or association can best serve their interests in the course of the legitimate pursuit of their driving experience.
“Any person who is licensed to drive a heavy-duty vehicle should be mature enough both physically, mentally and emotionally to discern which organisation can best serve his/her own interests.
“The DTCDA therefore urges the federal government and its agencies to take every measure necessary to prevent any one organisation trying to recruit membership by coercion, thereby breaching the constitutionally guaranteed right to freedom of association, thought and expression as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended,” it added.
The DTCDA said it is in full support of the deregulation of the downstream sector of the Nigerian economy and the Renewed Hope agenda of President Tinubu, “of which our members are poised to play an integral role in the distribution of goods and services throughout the country.”
“The DTCDA believes that any action against the smooth flow of petroleum products in the country is a disservice, flagrant abuse of the power of unionism and should be condemned by all Nigerians and the general public,” it said.
Also, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has asked President Tinubu to intervene to prevent a crisis in the oil sector.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) says it recorded a 30 per cent reduction in gas imbalance on the country’s Western Network following the conclusion of its first-half 2026 Nigerian Gas Network Reconciliation (NGNR) Workshop.
The workshop brought together gas transporters, suppliers, shippers and off-takers to reconcile gas volumes traded between January and June 2026, while introducing a Network Entry/Exit Point Measurement Infrastructure Audit Template aimed at improving metering accuracy and accountability across the gas transmission network.
In a communiqué issued after the workshop, the authority said participants also reviewed the performance of the Nigerian Gas Transmission Network, assessed progress on major pipeline infrastructure projects, and received updates on the ELPS Gas Shrinkage Factor and Hydraulic Modelling Project.
Discussions focused on addressing metering gaps, improving network visibility through Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) integration, and enhancing system reliability ahead of the commissioning of the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) Pipeline System.
The workshop adopted key resolutions, including the execution of outstanding Network Exit Agreements, mandatory submission of measurement audit templates and closer collaboration among industry stakeholders to improve network pressure management.
Speaking at the closing session on behalf of the authority’s chief executive, Mr Rabiu A. Umar, the Director of Transportation Systems and Networks, Mr Joseph G. Musa, said the biannual reconciliation exercise had become critical to promoting equitable gas transactions, transparency, investor confidence and efficient network operations.
Mr Musa noted that since the NGNR process was introduced in 2023, it had significantly improved gas measurement, strengthened regulatory compliance through consequence management, reduced operational imbalances and contributed to a more reliable domestic gas supply.
The workshop concluded with participants adopting the reconciled H1 2026 gas volumes, reaffirming the authority’s commitment to a transparent, efficient and reliable domestic gas market.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
An investment that supports growing food and agriculture companies across Africa that strengthen agricultural value chains has been made by Swedfund.
The organisation is putting down about $12 million to strengthen climate resilience in African food systems through the Acumen Resilient Agriculture Fund II (ARAF II).
By improving access to markets, finance and essential services, these companies help smallholder farmers become more resilient to climate and economic shocks.
Over 30 million smallholder farmers operate across Sub-Saharan Africa, accounting for 80 per cent of all farms and producing 70 per cent of the region’s food (IFAD). Yet many face limited access to finance, quality inputs, reliable buyers and market information. At the same time, they are among those most exposed to climate change and weather-related shocks, which threaten harvests, incomes and food security.
The investment has an ambition to reach around four million smallholder farmers through ARAF II’s portfolio companies. It also aims to meet the criteria of the 2X Challenge, which promotes investments that support women’s economic empowerment.
ARAF II invests in businesses that address key gaps in agricultural value chains, from improving market access and reducing post-harvest losses to expanding financial and digital services for farmers. By helping these businesses grow, the investment aims to improve productivity, strengthen local value chains and increase the resilience of food systems.
Swedfund invests alongside other development finance institutions and investors to help mobilise long-term capital for businesses that often struggle to access financing despite their potential to strengthen food security, climate resilience and economic development across Africa.
“Climate change is already affecting the livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers across Africa. Investing in businesses that improve access to markets, finance and agricultural services helps farmers strengthen their resilience, increase productivity and build more stable incomes. That is essential for more resilient food systems,” the Investment Director of Food Systems and Strategic Investments at Swedfund, Ms Helen Hagos, said.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Bola Tinubu to order a probe into the alleged diversion, disappearance and misapplication of more than N6.79 billion in public funds within the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the Federal Ministry of Police Affairs.
The grave allegations are documented in the latest Annual Report of the Auditor-General of the Federation published on September 9, 2025.
SERAP said, “Anyone suspected to be responsible—including contractors, companies and public officials implicated in the report—should be promptly prosecuted, while all missing public funds, firearms and ammunition should be fully recovered, secured and properly accounted for.”
In the letter dated August 1, 2026, and signed by SERAP deputy director, Mr Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said: “The Auditor-General’s findings suggest a grave betrayal of the public trust and raise serious concerns about corruption and the management of public funds, police exhibits, firearms and ammunition.”
SERAP said: “The report also raises serious concerns over missing firearms and ammunition, the unauthorised use and release of police exhibits, failures to properly account for exhibits, and the insecure storage of firearms, creating significant risks to public safety and national security.”
According to the group, “The diversion of funds meant for policing, abandoned security projects, missing firearms and ammunition, and the misuse of police exhibits undermine the operational effectiveness of the Nigeria Police Force, weaken public confidence and may contribute to Nigeria’s worsening insecurity.”
The letter, read in part: “The report documented numerous alleged financial irregularities within the Nigeria Police Force and the Federal Ministry of Police Affairs, including payments for projects that were never executed, abandoned contracts, inflated contract costs, and irregular procurement.”
“The report also documented unretired cash advances, unsettled insurance claims, payments for services allegedly not rendered, and other suspected diversion and misapplication of public funds amounting to over ₦6.79 billion.”
“The allegations also include missing firearms and ammunition, the unauthorised use and release of police exhibits, failures to properly account for recovered firearms and other exhibits, and the insecure storage of firearms, posing serious risks to public safety and national security.”
“We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within seven days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall consider appropriate legal action to compel your government to comply with our request in the public interest.”
Some of the others include: N499,875,500.00 for the construction of Police College Phase II, Bashar, Plateau State; N12,931,000.00 for the rehabilitation of Block B, Department of Logistics and Supply (Works) building, Garki; N111,635,864.64 for the construction of 12 one-bedroom transit camp units and rehabilitation of the administration block at the NPF Pre-retirement Skills Acquisition Centre, Kudana, Kaduna State; N4,011,627.89 inserted as taxes to inflate a contract; N1,938,299,452.00 for 14 ongoing projects that were abandoned; N5,050,000.00 in monetary exhibits released without proper authorisation; N112,026,424.00 for outstanding allowances paid to officers to cover 2020 liabilities; and N6,000,000.00 as annual payment to the Inspector General of Police’s Senior Special Assistant on Revenue and Tax Matters.
Others include N10,080,000.00 as cash advances for the provision of office equipment and accessories for the NPF Database Management Centre; N438,066,845.73 for the supply of bulletproof vests, ballistic helmets and procurement of a Styr Punch Vistar troop carrier; N18,000,000.00 for the training of women in cosmetology and provision of empowerment kits in Ondo Central Senatorial District, Ondo State; N258,989,999.75 for the procurement of 10 JAC patrol vehicles for NPF outpost stations in Kano State; N30,853,250.00 as security allowances for personnel attached to the Ministry of Police Affairs; N681,406,593.18 for the settlement of insurance claims through insurance brokers; N1,628,108,434.18 for outstanding insurance policy liabilities for 2020/2021; N57,484,515.30 for the procurement of video cameras, customised umbrellas, gift bags and customised towels for the Nigeria Police Force Public Relations Office; N7,760,409.56 in withholding tax and value added tax that was not deducted from contracts awarded.
