Business
UPDATE: NUPENG Skips Meeting to Resolve Dispute with Dangote in Abuja
The leadership of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) failed to attend a crucial Federal Government meeting aimed at resolving its dispute with the Dangote Group, as tensions escalate over a planned nationwide strike by oil workers.
The meeting, called by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Dingyadi, was set for 10:00 a.m. on Monday at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja. However, by 2:30 p.m., the meeting had yet to start due to the absence of NUPENG representatives.
On Sunday, the Federal Government appealed to NUPENG to postpone the industrial action, assuring that it had intervened in the dispute. It also urged the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to withdraw its “red alert” issued to affiliate unions preparing for a solidarity strike.
An insider noted that even if NUPENG plans to attend the meeting, it won’t be immediate. “They can’t be expected to fly into Abuja and rush into talks the same day. Consultations with NLC leadership and others need to happen first,” the source explained.
The core of the conflict centers on the Dangote Group’s alleged anti-union policy, which NUPENG claims violates workers’ rights. The union insists that no oil worker will be allowed to work at Dangote without union membership, accusing the company of an “anti-worker and anti-union” stance aimed at exploiting refinery employees.
NUPENG officials were still in Lagos on Monday afternoon, coordinating the strike effort. “You don’t wait until a strike is declared before calling for talks,” one union source said, criticizing the government’s delayed response. “The union gave sufficient notice, but the ministry only acted after tensions rose.”
Meanwhile, while journalists awaited the start of the NUPENG meeting, Minister Dingyadi held a separate closed-door session with representatives of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA).
The government has yet to announce a new meeting date or confirm if NUPENG will participate at a later time.
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The Federal Government has intensified efforts to protect Nigeria’s pig industry from the growing threat of African Swine Fever, a highly contagious livestock disease.
The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, says the government is strengthening biosecurity measures, disease surveillance, and stakeholder collaboration to prevent the spread of the disease and safeguard livestock production nationwide.
Speaking during a technical presentation on the status of African Swine Fever in Nigeria, the Minister commended the Chief Veterinary Officer of the Federation, Dr. Yakubu Yanet Ago, for sharing lessons from a recent study visit to Denmark.
He said that the experiences gained from the visit would help Nigeria develop practical solutions to livestock health challenges and improve preparedness against disease outbreaks.
Maiha highlighted Denmark’s pig traceability and compensation system, where every pig is tracked from birth and farmers contribute to a dedicated fund that provides compensation during disease outbreaks.
According to him, such a model encourages early disease reporting, strengthens transparency, and could be adapted to support Nigeria’s livestock sector.
The Minister also pointed to Denmark’s strict biosecurity measures, including mandatory disinfection of vehicles transporting pigs and controls to prevent contact with wild animals.
He stressed that biosecurity should be viewed as an investment rather than a burden, noting that strict movement controls and farm access restrictions have proven effective in containing disease outbreaks.
To strengthen disease prevention, the Minister directed relevant departments to map livestock movement routes, identify major pig markets and commercial farms, improve animal traceability systems, and deepen collaboration with pig farmers, state governments, and development partners.
He also called for stronger surveillance systems, improved laboratory capacity, and greater investment in veterinary research.
In his remarks, the Chief Veterinary Officer of the Federation, Dr. Yakubu Yanet Ago, described African Swine Fever as a devastating viral disease with mortality rates of up to one hundred percent and revealed that outbreaks have been recorded in about twelve states.
He revealed that the Federal Government’s response focuses on improved surveillance, farmer education, and stronger biosecurity, while urging greater cooperation among all tiers of government, increased funding, and alignment with international disease control strategies to achieve long-term eradication of the disease.
Business
DisCos earn N801bn in four months despite persistent blackouts
In the NERC data, the DisCos billed customers N1.01tn between January and April but recovered N801.16bn, leaving about N207.77bn in uncollected revenue during the period.
Data obtained from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) showed that electricity distribution companies (DisCos) earned a total of N801.16 billion from consumers between January and April 2026.
This was despite persistent power outages and supply constraints across the country.
The commercial performance factsheets released by the regulator showed that the 11 DisCos collected N204.74bn in January, N196.68bn in February, N196.13bn in March and N203.61bn in April, bringing total revenue for the four-month period to N801.16bn.
The collections came even as households and businesses endured months of unstable electricity supply caused largely by gas shortages that crippled power generation and forced widespread load shedding, especially in February and March.
In the NERC data, the DisCos billed customers N1.01tn between January and April but recovered N801.16bn, leaving about N207.77bn in uncollected revenue during the period.
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