Prominent Nigerians Warn Labour Disputes Threaten Economic Revival, Hail Dangote Refinery’s Impact
By Mustapha Salisu
A coalition of prominent Nigerian leaders, including business figures, traditional rulers, and civil society advocates, has issued a stark warning that recent industrial disputes at the Dangote Refinery risk undermining the nation’s economic progress and scaring off vital investment.
In a joint statement signed by personalities such as Atedo Peterside, the 16th Emir of Kano Khalifa Muhammad Sanusi II, and Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, the group acknowledged that an immediate crisis at the refinery had been de-escalated through government mediation. However, they stressed that the “episode raises important lessons for Nigeria’s economic future.”
The statement framed the Dangote Refinery as more than a private enterprise, calling it a “national symbol” of what bold domestic investment can achieve, especially after “decades” of collapse in the state-owned refining sector and dependence on costly fuel imports.
Highlighting the refinery’s tangible benefits, the signatories pointed to a dramatic fall in petrol prices in some regions from around N1,500 per litre to about N820 a 55% reduction. This, they argued, has already begun to ease pressure on transport and food costs, giving Nigerians “a glimpse of how local productivity can improve daily life.”
Despite this positive impact, the group expressed deep concern that the “strikes and threats” that occurred send the wrong signals. They cautioned that poorly managed industrial disputes could discourage both domestic and foreign investment “at a time when Nigeria most needs capital and innovation,” describing the refinery as a “national lifeline” for jobs, energy security, and inflation control.
The joint statement outlined three core principles for navigating such challenges:
1. Workers’ rights must be respected, as guaranteed by the Constitution.
2. Markets and productivity must be protected, noting that the right to organise “cannot become a license to hold the economy hostage.”
3. Social responsibility and accountability must remain central for large-scale investors.
Addressing concerns about market dominance, the leaders argued that such issues should not be settled by “disruptive industrial action.” Instead, they pointed to statutory bodies like the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) as the proper channel for resolving pricing or monopoly claims, adding that “there is no legal monopoly here” and others are free to invest in refining.
The group commended the Federal Government, labour unions, and the Dangote Refinery management for resolving the dispute through dialogue and urged that this “spirit of constructive engagement become a template for the future.”
Ultimately, the statement framed the crisis as a pivotal moment for Nigeria’s economic direction, posing a choice between a continued “cycle of scarcity and rent-seeking” or a future “anchored on productivity, fairness, and shared prosperity.”
They concluded with a firm endorsement of the refinery, stating it “should not be undermined but strengthened as a signal to other industrialists that investing in Nigeria’s future is worthwhile.”
Other signatories to the statement include Osita Chidoka, Aisha Yesufu, Arunma Oteh, and several other respected figures from academia, politics, and civil society.
