Dangote Group Acquires 10,000 Trucks Amid Dispute With NUPENG

Dangote Group has acquired 10,000 trucks amid dispute with NUPENG.

NewsOnline Nigeria reports that Aliko Dangote, President and Chief Executive of Dangote Group, has revealed that the conglomerate has acquired a fleet of 10,000 trucks; including 4,000 CNG fuel tankers and 6,000 dry cargo vehicles to strengthen its nationwide logistics operations.

Dangote made the disclosure on Tuesday in an interview monitored on Channels Television, while responding to mounting tensions with the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) over the company’s trucking activities.

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According to him, the move is part of efforts to modernize logistics, improve efficiency, and address claims by NUPENG that the Group’s expansion could threaten existing jobs.

“Our company didn’t just buy 4,000 CNG trucks; we bought 10,000 in total — 4,000 tankers and 6,000 dry cargo vehicles,” Dangote said. “Some will carry coal, others will move solid materials. We are modernizing our operations, not displacing workers.”

He confirmed that 4,000 dry cargo trucks are already in operation, while additional deliveries are arriving daily. By the end of October, all 4,000 tankers are expected to be deployed, and by November the full fleet of 10,250 vehicles will be on Nigerian roads.

Job Creation and Worker Benefits

Addressing NUPENG’s concerns, Dangote noted that each truck requires about six workers, meaning the 4,000 CNG tankers alone would generate roughly 24,000 direct jobs in driving, logistics, and maintenance.

He further emphasized that Dangote Group drivers earn nearly four times the national minimum wage, with benefits that include accident-free bonuses and access to housing loans after five years of service.

Union Dispute

The acquisition has been met with resistance from NUPENG, which alleges that the company is attempting to weaken union influence. Earlier in September, the union staged a two-day strike and threatened to suspend fuel dispensing, but later signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the company after intervention by the Department of State Services (DSS).

The MoU guaranteed workers’ rights, recognized unionization for interested employees, and barred the creation of rival unions. However, NUPENG has since accused Dangote officials of instructing refinery drivers to remove union stickers, forcing truck loading, and using security forces to intimidate leaders.

The union has placed its members on red alert and urged the Federal Government to intervene, insisting that “corporate power does not place anyone above the law.”

NewsOnline Nigeria reports that the development comes as Dangote Petroleum Refinery, Africa’s largest with a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day began direct petrol supply to 11 states on September 15, 2025. The refinery had earlier received 4,000 CNG trucks in July under a ₦720 billion investment programme aimed at distributing 65 million litres of refined products daily and creating over 15,000 jobs.