Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has criticized the recent agreement between the Federal Government, the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), and the management of Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals on the unionisation of refinery staff, describing it as inconsistent with established labour laws.
The tripartite arrangement, which was reached earlier this month, was intended to resolve tensions over whether workers at Africa’s largest refinery should be allowed to join unions of their choice. However, Falana argued on Wednesday that the agreement fell short of Nigeria’s statutory labour provisions, particularly concerning the rights of junior staff.
According to him, under the nation’s labour laws, all junior employees in the oil and gas sector are automatically deemed members of NUPENG, without the need for further negotiation. He added that any arrangement suggesting otherwise would amount to a violation of workers’ fundamental rights to unionise.
“By law, junior workers do not need to seek permission or sign fresh agreements to belong to NUPENG. Their membership is automatic,” Falana said. “The deal reached contradicts the clear provisions of the Trade Union Act and should not stand.”
He further urged the Ministry of Labour and Employment to ensure strict adherence to existing statutes and protect workers from arrangements that could weaken their bargaining power.
Labour analysts note that Falana’s intervention could reignite debates over the balance between protecting workers’ rights and safeguarding private sector investments, especially in large-scale projects such as the $20 billion Dangote Refinery.
Neither Dangote Refinery management nor the Federal Ministry of Labour had issued an official response to Falana’s remarks at press time.
