Strikes, shutdowns, truces: How Labour rocked Nigeria’s industrial space in 2025
SKAiF NewsNG SNN
By Victor Ahiuma-Young
The outgoing year, 2025, was highly memorable for Nigeria’s labour sector as it took centre stage in the national conversation.
Read Also: Tinubu’s signature red cap surfaces at Kano Govt House amid Yusuf’s defection plans
From the gates of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, to major streets including state capitals and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, organised labour flexed its collective muscles, crippling operations in some of the country’s most critical sectors.
Strikes, supply disruptions and emergency government interventions became defining features of the year, exposing how labour relations, energy security and economic stability are inseparable.
The headline battle between the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, alongside the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, and the Dangote Group dominated the media space towards the later part of the year.
However, it was only part of a broader wave of labour activism that permeated Nigeria’s socio-economic landscape.
Strategic strikes, truce agreements and tactical negotiations revealed the enduring influence of organised labour on national economic and public policy.
Dangote Refinery, oil workers tango
September witnessed escalating tensions over workers’ right to unionise at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, a 650,000-barrel-per-day facility that anchors Nigeria’s drive to reduce fuel imports and boost exports.
The crisis came to a head in late September after the refinery’s management dismissed over 800 Nigerian employees said to be members of PENGASSAN.
PENGASSAN’s leadership claimed the layoffs were retaliation for unionising efforts, while Dangote management insisted the dismissals were part of a reorganisation aimed at preventing sabotage and improving operational safety, denying any anti-labour intent.
PENGASSAN responded by declaring a nationwide strike and directing members to halt crude and gas supply to the refinery. The impact was immediate and far-reaching.
It was alleged that Nigeria’s daily oil output fell by 16 per cent due to the industrial action, while power generation and port operations were disrupted.
PENGASSAN argued that denying union participation violated Nigerian labour laws and international labour conventions, lending legal and moral weight to its action.
Government intervention
With energy security and investor confidence at stake, federal mediation became unavoidable. By early October, following marathon talks led by agents of the Federal Government, the laid-off workers were redeployed without loss of pay.
Consequently, Dangote management formally recognised unionisation rights, and PENGASSAN ultimately called off its strike.
NUPENG’s fight
Earlier, NUPENG had confronted Dangote over its refusal to recognise the union for certain categories of staff.
NUPENG raised concerns over plans by the refinery to deploy imported Compressed Natural Gas, CNG, trucks for fuel distribution, arguing that the move undermined existing tanker drivers and excluded them from union membership in violation of labour laws.
Between September 5 and 8, the union condemned what it described as anti-union practices and threatened a nationwide shutdown if the issues were not resolved, insisting strike action would commence on September 8.
Despite Federal Government’s intervention and calls for restraint, NUPENG maintained its strike threat pending satisfactory negotiations.
However, a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, signed between NUPENG and Dangote Refinery management followed interventions by the Ministry of Labour, the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the Department of State Services, DSS, allowing voluntary unionisation. This led to the suspension of the strike threat.
Less than 24 hours after the MoU was signed, NUPENG accused the refinery’s management of breaching the agreement, reigniting tensions.
The DSS intervened again and mediated a fresh truce, which reaffirmed union rights for tanker drivers.
It is important to note that the government-brokered MoU in September 2025 guaranteed voluntary union membership and barred employer-controlled parallel unions, leading NUPENG to suspend its threatened industrial action.
NASU, SSANU action
The Joint Action Committee, JAC, of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions, NASU, and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Federal Government beginning September 15, warning of industrial action if unresolved issues were not addressed.
The ultimatum was later extended by two weeks as negotiations commenced.
In October, both unions threatened to embark on an indefinite strike from October 6, 2025, following the expiration of their ultimatums.
However, instead of a full strike, a nationwide protest was held on October 9, 2025, to press their demands.
ASUU strike
In October, the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, declared a two-week nationwide warning strike beginning October 13, 2025, over funding shortfalls and delays in implementing agreements with the Federal Government.
Academic activities across many federal universities were disrupted.
The union suspended the strike on October 22, 2025, after talks with government officials and legislators, while issuing a deadline for resolving outstanding issues.
Negotiations continued through late 2025 over the 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement.
By late December, both parties reached a consensus to enforce a renegotiated agreement effective from January 1, 2026.
NLC anti-insecurity protest
On December 8, the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, announced plans to stage a nationwide protest on December 17, 2025, to demand urgent government action against worsening insecurity, including banditry, kidnappings and attacks on schools.
The decision followed a National Executive Council, NEC, meeting, which expressed concern that rising insecurity posed serious threats to Nigeria’s economic and social stability.
On December 16, the NLC warned of alleged plots to disrupt or violently attack peaceful demonstrators.
The congress declared that any violence against protesters would be treated as an act of terrorism and could trigger a comprehensive and indefinite nationwide strike.
NLC President, Joe Ajaero insisted there was “no going back” on the protest, saying it was necessary to draw national attention to the insecurity affecting lives, livelihoods and investment.
He condemned repeated attacks, including the kidnapping of school staff and students, and called for decisive government intervention.
On December 17, the NLC led workers, civil society groups and labour allies in peaceful protests across several states, including Abuja and Lagos, demanding stronger government action to protect lives and property.
In Abuja, demonstrators gathered at the Labour House and attempted to march towards key government offices, but security forces restricted movement.
The NLC also demanded the arrest and prosecution of individuals allegedly funding insecurity nationwide.
Protests were recorded in Bauchi and other states, where local NLC chapters highlighted the impact of insecurity on workers and communities.
The events of 2025 reinforced a clear truth: organised labour continues to shape Nigeria’s economy and public policy, even as the country pursues industrialisation, investment and energy security in a volatile global environment.
The post Strikes, shutdowns, truces: How Labour rocked Nigeria’s industrial space in 2025 appeared first on Vanguard News.
