By Ademola Adekusibe
September 16, 2025
Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has downplayed threats from the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), insisting his company’s massive fleet expansion will create jobs, not destroy them.
Speaking in a recent interview, Dangote chuckled at the union’s warning: “I laughed when, what do you call them? NUPENG. They said there will be job losses, but we not only bought 4,000 CNG trucks; we bought 10,000, 4,000 tankers and 6,000 dry cargo.”
He stressed that each truck will require multiple staff, with drivers receiving salaries above the national minimum wage alongside housing loans. According to Dangote, the project will directly generate over 24,000 jobs and thousands more indirectly across logistics, servicing, and supply chains.
But NUPENG has not been amused. The union recently alleged that workers at Dangote’s refinery were being pressured to renounce union membership, describing the billionaire’s labour policies as “anti-worker.” Union leaders also argue that a sudden roll-out of CNG trucks could destabilize existing petroleum transport workers, threatening their livelihoods.
In response, Dangote Group issued a statement reaffirming its commitment to labour rights, saying no employee would be forced to abandon union membership and that all operations would comply with Nigerian labour laws.
Industry analysts note that if Dangote’s 10,000-truck deployment becomes fully operational by December, it could reshape Nigeria’s fuel distribution landscape, slash transport costs, and accelerate the country’s transition to cleaner energy alternatives.
For now, the face-off between Africa’s richest businessman and one of Nigeria’s most powerful unions is being closely watched, with ripple effects expected across the oil and gas sector.
