Our drivers won’t join union, Dangote’s new trucking firm tells NUPENG

Our drivers won’t join union, Dangote’s new trucking firm tells NUPENG

A newly established trucking subsidiary linked to Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has formally informed the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) that its drivers have opted against union membership.

In a letter dated September 30, 2025, addressed to the NUPENG President in Lagos, Direct Trucking Company Limited (DTCL) stated that each of its 27 registered drivers had submitted signed notices rejecting union affiliation.

“We hereby forward for your record and information letters from our Truck Drivers signifying their refusal to join/withdrawal of membership from NUPENG. The said letters specifically written and signed by each of the Truck Drivers personally are herewith attached to this letter,” wrote Olosogo Basola, a director at DTCL.

The company added that, going forward, all salaries and entitlements would be deposited directly into drivers’ bank accounts.

Documents obtained showed that one of the drivers, Musa Adamu Sabo, had addressed a personal letter to the firm’s managing director on August 1, 2025.

In it, he declared:“I, Mr. Musa Adamu Sabo, freely and without prejudice, do not wish to be a member of NUPENG and humbly request that all my dues as well as entitlements be paid and deposited into my bank account effective 01-08-2025.”

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Investigations revealed that DTCL is a logistics venture created by Dangote in partnership with Alhaji Sayyu Aliu Dantata, chairman of MRS Energy Limited. The new outfit is expected to deliver petroleum products directly to filling stations and private distributors, cutting reliance on external transporters.

The development comes against the backdrop of escalating labour unrest in the oil and gas sector. Both NUPENG and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) have accused the Dangote Group of anti-labour practices, following the sacking of over 800 refinery workers last month.

On September 7, NUPENG alleged that Dangote and Dantata had formed the Direct Truck Drivers Association (DTCDA) as part of a plan to operate 10,000 imported CNG trucks, linking the venture to MRS Energy’s Lagos headquarters.

“DTCDA is the association formed by  Sayyu Aliu Dantata, the owner of MRS. The Direct Trucking Company Limited is the recruiting company that was formed by him and Alh Aliko Dangote for the 10,000 CNG Trucks they are importing,” NUPENG stated.

The union accused the promoters of trying to suppress workers’ right to freely associate, describing the move as a modern-day form of servitude.
“Slavery ended centuries ago but some unscrupulous Capitalists are making efforts to bring it back. Any worker who cannot exercise the right of association is no better than a slave,” NUPENG said.

The confrontation follows last week’s nationwide strike led by PENGASSAN after Dangote Refinery dismissed hundreds of unionised employees. Although the Federal Government brokered a deal on October 1 that led to a suspension of the strike, union leaders warned they would resume industrial action if agreements were breached.

Efforts to reach Dangote Group’s corporate communications chief, Anthony Chiejina, were unsuccessful as his phone remained unreachable.

Our drivers won’t join union, Dangote’s new trucking firm tells NUPENG

(SAHARAREPORTERS)