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 Ministry of Finance has directed all shipping companies and airlines operating in Nigeria to submit their manifests through the Single Window Project (SWP) as part of efforts to strengthen cargo tracking and transparency.
The submission of shipping manifests before the change of policy was handled exclusively by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for onward cargo processing and port clearance.
However, following a memo from late last year signed by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Wale Edun, all shipping firms and airlines were directed to integrate with the National Single Window platform to ensure seamless Manifests submission.
“I would like to bring to your attention that His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu inaugurated the National Single Window (NSW) Project on the 16th of April 2024.
The NSW Project aims to streamline and automate import and export processes at Nigeria’s entry & exit ports, with the dual goals of enhancing trade facilitation and increasing government revenue.
“By integrating the operations of multiple government agencies involved in trade processes on one platform, the NSW platform will ensure faster clearance of goods and services, improve operational efficiencies at the imports and significantly reduce bureaucratic bottlenecks.
“Key components of the Single Window as defined by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and World Customs Organisation (WCO) include: (a) a single-entry point i.e. traders, shipping lines, airlines and other stakeholders should submit all required import and export documentation through a single-entry point on a centralized digital platform, and (b) single submission i.e. all documentation should only be submitted once and data only entered once.
“As a result, the NSW Platform will be the single-entry point of submission for all Sea and Air Manifests. Therefore, all shipping lines and airlines are therefore directed to integrate with the NSW Platform to ensure seamless Manifests submission,” parts of the memo read.
The Comptroller-General of the NCS, the chairman of the Nigerian Revenue Service (NRS), the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) were copied in the memo.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The petition written against the immediate past chief executive of the Midstream Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Mr Farouk Ahmed, which was withdrawn from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), has now been taken to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The letter was written by the chairman of Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), Mr Aliko Dangote. It contained allegations of allegations of abuse of office and corrupt enrichment against Mr Ahmed.
The petition led to the resignation of the former NMDPRA chief from office last month.
It was gathered that Mr Dangote, through his legal representative, filed a formal corruption petition against him at the headquarters of the EFCC, with specific plea of prosecuting Mr Ahmed if found culpable.
The businessman said the withdrawal of the petition from the ICPC was a strategic move aimed at accelerating the prosecution process.
In the petition signed by his lead counsel Mr O.J. Onoja (SAN), Mr Dangote noted that, “We make bold to state that the commission is strategically positioned along with sister agencies to prosecute financial crimes and corruption related offences, and upon establishing a prima facie case, the courts do not hesitate to punish offenders. See Lawan v. F.R.N (2024) 12 NWLR (Pt. 1953) 501 and Shema v. F.R.N. (2018) 9 NWLR (Pt.1624)337.”
He further urged the anti-money laundering agency, under the leadership of Mr Olanipekun Olukoyede, “…to investigate the complaint of Abuse of Office and Corruption against Engr. Farouk Ahmed and to accordingly prosecute him if found wanting.”
“The commission’s firm resolve in handling this matter with dispatch is not only imperative and expedient but will also serve as a deterrent to other public officers out there with such corrupt proneness and tendencies,” he added.
Recall that on December 14, 2025, Mr Dangote raised concerns about Mr. Ahmed’s financial dealings, alleging that the former regulator is living far beyond his legitimate means.
According to him, four of Mr Ahmed’s children attended elite secondary schools in Switzerland, incurring costs running into several millions of dollars—an expenditure that raises questions about potential conflicts of interest and the integrity of regulatory oversight in the downstream petroleum industry.
Mr Dangote listed the schools attended by Mr. Ahmed’s children: Faisal Farouk (Montreux School), Farouk Jr. (Aiglon College), Ashraf Farouk (Institut Le Rosey), and Farhana Farouk (La Garenne International School), noting that each child spent six years in these institutions. He estimated annual tuition, travel, and upkeep per child at $200,000, totaling approximately $5 million for their secondary education.
Additionally, he alleged that Mr Ahmed spent another $2 million on tertiary education for the four children, including $210,000 for Faisal’s 2025 Harvard MBA program.
“Nigerians deserve to know the source of these funds, especially when many parents in Mr Ahmed’s home state of Sokoto struggle to pay as little as N10,000 in school fees,” Mr Dangote stated.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigerian author, Ms Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and her husband, Dr Ivara Esege, have lost one of their twin sons, Nkanu Nnamdi.
According to a statement issued on Thursday by Ms Omawumi Ogbe, on behalf of the family, the 21-month-old baby passed away on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, after a brief illness.
The statement said the family is devastated by the loss, and requested that their privacy be respected during this difficult time.
“We’re deeply saddened to confirm the passing of one of Ms Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Dr Ivara Esege’s twin boys, Nkanu Nnamdi, who passed on Wednesday, 7th of January 2026, after a brief illness. He was 21 months old.
“The family is devastated by this profound loss, and we request that their privacy be respected during this incredibly difficult time.
“We ask for your grace and prayers as they mourn in private.
“No further statements will be made, and we thank the public and the media for respecting their need for seclusion during this period of immense grief,” the statement read.
Ms Adichie is known for works including Half of a Yellow Sun, Americanah and her 2012 Ted Talk and essay We Should All Be Feminists, which was sampled by Beyoncé on her 2013 song Flawless.
The 48 year old writer had her first child, a daughter, in 2016. In 2024, her twin boys were born using a surrogate.
In 2020, her 2006 novel Half of a Yellow Sun was voted the best book to have won the Women’s Prize for Fiction in its 25-year history.
Her latest book, Dream Count, was published in 2025.
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