NUPENG NUEOTDN dispute intensifies as NUPENG rejects allegations over edible-oil tankers and urges government intervention before a proposed shutdown
LAGOS, Nigeria, 17 September 2026: Comrade Tope Ajagbe, a member of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), has condemned allegations by the National Union of Edible Oil Tanker Drivers of Nigeria (NUEOTDN) over the transportation of edible oil, urging the Federal Government and regulators to intervene as tensions between the unions threaten to disrupt the supply chain.
Ajagbe made the call in a statement responding to claims published in The Nation on Wednesday, September 16, describing the allegations against NUPENG as misleading and damaging to the union’s reputation.
The statement came as the NUPENG NUEOTDN dispute escalated following NUEOTDN’s warning that its members could begin a total shutdown from September 22 if the Federal Government fails to resolve what the union describes as jurisdictional encroachment by NUPENG’s Petroleum Tanker Drivers branch.
NUEOTDN President Ilias Aperun has also raised food-safety concerns over the use of tankers previously deployed for petroleum products to carry edible oil, arguing that petroleum residue could contaminate food products if tanks are not properly cleaned, converted and certified.
“A tanker previously used for petroleum products may pose serious contamination and hygiene concerns if it is subsequently deployed to carry food-grade products without an appropriate, verifiable and food-safety-compliant cleaning and conversion process,” Aperun said.
NUEOTDN has called for intervention from the Federal Government, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, the Federal Ministry of Health, the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment and the Nigeria Labour Congress.
The union says its dispute with NUPENG has already passed through a conciliation process led by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.
According to NUEOTDN, representatives of the unions met in Lagos on September 1 after an earlier conciliation meeting on August 17, but the discussions did not produce a resolution.
NUPENG’s latest response disputes the characterisation of its activities and says its leadership has repeatedly sought a peaceful settlement involving NUEOTDN and the Amalgamated Union of Wharf Truck Owners of Nigeria, alongside the Wharf 302 Products and Beverages Association of Tanker Drivers.
Ajagbe said NUPENG’s operations comply with applicable safety, environmental and regulatory requirements and that the union works with agencies including the Federal Road Safety Corps and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority.
NUPENG also said its drivers undergo training, inspection and certification designed to ensure compliance with safety standards.
The disagreement is taking place against a regulatory backdrop that has already placed restrictions on the use of petroleum tankers for edible-oil transportation.
In May, the Lagos State Government prohibited petroleum tankers from transporting and distributing edible oil, citing food safety, hygiene and regulatory compliance.
The policy was introduced through a memorandum involving the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency and stakeholders in the edible-oil transportation chain, including NUEOTDN.
The two unions nevertheless disagree sharply over how the rules should apply and which operators should handle food-grade products.
NUEOTDN says dedicated edible-oil tankers should remain within its operational jurisdiction and wants government to establish clear boundaries between NUEOTDN, NUPENG’s Petroleum Tanker Drivers and the Amalgamated Union of Wharf Truck Owners.
It has also called for national standards distinguishing food-grade tankers from petroleum-product tankers.
The union says its members use dedicated equipment and have undergone safety and hygiene training.
In April, the Federal Road Safety Corps held a seminar for NUEOTDN members and other stakeholders on tanker safety, including mandatory pre-trip inspections and vehicle roadworthiness.
NUPENG, meanwhile, has rejected what it describes as false allegations and urged authorities to treat deliberate misinformation capable of disrupting petroleum and food distribution as a serious matter.
“We strongly urge the Federal Government, law enforcement agencies, regulatory authorities, and other critical stakeholders to treat this orchestrated falsehood as an act of economic sabotage,” Ajagbe said in the statement.
NUPENG also stressed that it would not protect members found to be acting illegally. The union said any petroleum tanker discovered transporting edible products unlawfully should be apprehended and dealt with according to the law.
The dispute has implications beyond the competing interests of two transport unions.
Edible oil is a basic household commodity, and any prolonged interruption to its transportation could affect manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers and consumers.
NUEOTDN has therefore warned that a shutdown could create shortages if the disagreement is not resolved before September 22.
The food-safety question also requires careful regulatory attention. The central issue is not simply whether a tanker has previously carried petroleum products, but whether any subsequent conversion to food-grade use meets applicable cleaning, inspection and certification requirements.
That distinction matters because both sides say they support lawful regulation, even though they disagree over jurisdiction and the conduct of particular operators.
For the Federal Government, the immediate challenge is to prevent an industrial dispute from developing into a wider disruption of the edible-oil supply chain while ensuring that food-safety standards are properly enforced.
The NUPENG NUEOTDN dispute therefore remains a combination of labour jurisdiction, commercial competition and public-health concerns.
With September 22 approaching, a negotiated settlement could help prevent the dispute from spilling over into the availability and cost of an everyday food commodity.
For consumers, the most important outcome will be a clear regulatory framework that protects food safety without allowing competing union interests to interrupt legitimate commercial activity.
