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The National Union of Edible Oil Tanker Drivers of Nigeria (NUEOTDN) has threatened to commence industrial action from midnight on September 22, 2026, over what it described as jurisdictional encroachment, intimidation and disruption of edible oil transportation by the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) branch of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG).
The union at a press conference held in Lagos at the weekend, said the dispute had reached a critical stage and called on the Federal Government, labour authorities, security agencies and relevant regulators to intervene urgently to prevent possible disruption to the distribution of edible oil and other food-grade products across the country.
NUEOTDN said its members are responsible for transporting edible oil and other food-grade products from depots and processing facilities to markets and consumers, stressing that any disruption to their operations could have wider implications for the nation’s food supply chain.
The union alleged that the PTD branch of NUPENG had repeatedly interfered with its activities at edible oil depots. It also accused an organisation it identified as the Wharf302 Products and Beverages Association, which it alleged operates under the affiliation of the Amalgamated Wharf Truck Owners of Nigeria (AUTOWN), of becoming involved in the dispute.
According to NUEOTDN, the disagreement over union jurisdiction should be resolved through established labour and regulatory mechanisms rather than through confrontation or alleged intimidation of workers and operators. The union said it had sought intervention from several government agencies but claimed that its efforts had yet to produce a resolution.
“This is not a fight against Nigerians but a call to protect Nigerians,” the union said, warning that the edible oil transportation chain was “sitting on a gun powder” if the dispute remained unresolved.
NUEOTDN stressed that it was not opposed to the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope agenda, the edible oil industry or legitimate businesses. It said its primary objective was to protect the interests of its members while ensuring that the transportation of edible oil and other food-grade products was conducted in a safe, orderly, hygienic and lawful manner.
The union further alleged that some of its members had faced intimidation, harassment and disruption in the course of their legitimate activities. It called for adequate security protection for its drivers, trucks, facilities, marketers, sellers and other stakeholders operating within the edible oil supply chain.
Beyond the labour dispute, NUEOTDN raised concerns about food safety, particularly the use of tankers previously deployed for petroleum products to transport edible oil. The union called for stricter enforcement of standards governing the transportation of food-grade products.
“Edible oil is a food product,” the union said, arguing that tankers used to transport it must be suitable for food-grade products and comply with applicable safety and hygiene requirements. It described the issue as a public health concern rather than merely a trade union dispute.
The union called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to urgently resolve the jurisdictional dispute involving NUPENG’s PTD branch and what it described as the AUTOWN-affiliated Wharf302 Products and Beverages Association. It also urged the relevant labour authorities to determine the competing jurisdictional claims through established procedures.
NUEOTDN specifically appealed to the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), security agencies and regulatory bodies to intervene “promptly and impartially.” The union said it did not want an industrial dispute to result in shortages or price increases for edible oil and other essential food products.
The union also called for an end to what it described as intimidation, harassment and interference with its members and other legitimate stakeholders. It urged authorities to provide adequate security and ensure that operators within the sector could carry out their businesses without unlawful disruption.
NUEOTDN warned that failure to address what it described as its critical demands would trigger the planned industrial action from midnight on September 22. The union said such action was not intended to punish Nigerians but would become necessary if its concerns were not addressed.
Concluding its address, NUEOTDN reaffirmed its commitment to peace, dialogue, food-safety advocacy, the rule of law and the continued development of Nigeria’s edible oil industry. It appealed to all parties and government authorities to resolve the dispute before it escalates into a broader disruption of the country’s edible oil supply chain.
