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Petroleum Tanker Drivers Begin Strike
The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has said its Petroleum Tanker Drivers have been mobilised to ensure no movement of petroleum tankers as their nationwide strike begins today.
Alhaji Tokunbo Korodo, the South-West Chairman of NUPENG Lagos Council, made the assertion yesterday in an interview with newsmen in Lagos.
According to Korodo, all the tanker drivers have abandoned their trucks in respect of the indefinite strike which will begin on Monday unless the Federal Government intervenes.
The chairman said the drivers were forced to down tools due to unresolved issues concerning their welfare, poor remuneration, insecurity and bad roads.
“The tanker drivers for the past three years have been appealing to the Nigeria Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) to increase their salary but they refused on the ground that spare parts had increased.
“NARTO said that government has not increased their fares, so they will not increase their salary.
“Apart from this, most of the roads they ply are bad and this has resulted in accidents or damaging their trucks.
“The activities of the official of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps on the roads is not helping the matter,’’ Korodo said.
“The tanker drivers are forced to break the seal of their product on the pretext that they were carrying adulterated product.
“Most of these drivers are harassed by these officers, at times the tanker and the driver will be detained for close to a month,’’ he said.
Korodo also said that more than 2,000 staff of Capital Oil and Gas Ltd., were on the line due to their closure by the Federal Government due to some issues between the company and NNPC.
He said that the union wanted the government to resolve the matter so that the company would be opened and the staff and tanker drivers would resume duty.
The chairman, however, said that the strike would not affect activities in filling stations, depots or refineries across the nation.
Our correspondent reports that on March 31, the PTD branch of the NUPENG said they would begin a nationwide strike on April 3.
NUPENG’s President, Mr Igwe Achese, announced this in a communique in Lagos at the end of its Central Working Committee meeting held at the union’s secretariat in Yaba.
The communique said the strike would draw the attention of the Federal Government and other stakeholders to some unresolved issues bordering on the welfare of workers, bad roads, poor remuneration, insecurity and the alleged excesses of some security agencies.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has intervened to avert the strike action being planned by the Petroleum Tankers Drivers (PTD) section of the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG).
At the end of its Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting held at the union’s secretariat in Lagos on Friday, PTD had issued a notice to commence strike today, April 3.
NUPENG’s national President, Mr. Igwe Achese, who released the communiqué, said the strike would draw the attention of the federal government and other stakeholders to some unresolved issues bordering on the welfare of workers, such as bad roads, poor remuneration, insecurity and the alleged excesses of some security agencies.
But the Group General Manager in charge of Group Public Affairs Division of the NNPC, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu told our source yesterday that the Group Managing Director of the corporation, Dr. Maikanti Baru had engaged the leadership of the union to avert the impending crisis.
Ughamadu disclosed that with Baru’s personal intervention, the issues would be resolved amicably.
“We are engaging them. Few days ago, the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Dr. Maikanti Baru was in touch with the leadership of the union. Hopefully, with his intervention, it will be resolved,” Ughamadu explained.
Initial efforts to reach Achese and the South West Zonal Chairman of NUPENG, Alhaji Tokunbo Korodo to confirm the development were abortive as their mobile phones were switched off.
In their communiqué, NUPENG said: “The CWC-in-Session considers inhumane, the refusal of the National Association of Transport Owners (NARTO) to commence negotiation with the union for the renewal of the expired Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) on the working conditions of our Tanker Driver members in the PTD branch, after several appeals and even an ultimatum”.
“The CWC-in-Session, therefore, resolves to give full backing to any industrial action the members in this sector might decide to take with effect from Monday, April 3, 2017. To avert the pains and discomfort the action might cause, the CWC-in-Session calls on the Federal Government to urgently intervene and apprehend the unfortunate situation, to enable NARTO meet its obligations to tanker drivers,’’ the communique added.
The communique also called on the National Assembly to urgently pass the Petroleum Industry Bill, in order to tackle all the issues of corruption plaguing the oil sector.
It also called for the commercialisation of the operations of the NNPC, as well as the turn-around-maintenance for the refineries, to increase local production and reduce the importation of petroleum products.
The communique commended the efforts of the federal government to encourage operators of illegal refineries to be integrated into the establishment of modular refineries.
The union also vowed to resist any attempt to increase the pump price of petrol. It also commended efforts of the government to shore up the Naira against the Dollar and the decline in the inflationary rate to 17.5 per cent.
However, South West Zonal Chairman of NUPENG, Alhaji Tokunbo Korodo told The Tide correspondent yesterday that he was not aware of any “meaningful reach out” by the NNPC to the union.
“I have not received any signal from my superiors that there has been any meaningful reach out to us,” he said.
Korodo disclosed that the union had mobilised tanker drivers for Monday’s action, stressing that all fuel depots will be shut down. “We have mobilised our members because this thing has to do with their welfare,” he added.
He also stated that the union wants the federal government to intervene in the dispute between the NNPC and Capital Oil and Gas Limited.
“NNPC is saying that Capital Oil is indebted to it but Capital Oil has said from its own records, the NNPC is indebted to it. We want government to intervene to ensure that they do proper reconciliation because it is affecting our members. We have over 2,000 tanker drivers in Capital Oil and they have been declared redundant since the dispute started. Having been declared redundant, the drivers might be issued sack letters and we don’t want that to happen. That is why we want government to resolve the matter,” Korodo explained.
President Bola Tinubu yesterday celebrated the Nigerian Exchange Group’s breakthrough into the N100tn market capitalisation threshold, saying Nigeria has moved from an ignored frontier market to a compelling investment destination.
Tinubu, in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, urged Nigerians to increase their investments in the domestic economy, expressing confidence that 2026 would deliver stronger returns as ongoing reforms take firmer root.
He noted that the NGX closed 2025 with a 51.19 per cent return, outperforming global indices such as the S&P 500 and FTSE 100, as well as several BRICS+ emerging markets, after recording 37.65 per cent in 2024.
“With the Nigerian Exchange crossing the historic N100tn market capitalisation mark, the country is witnessing the birth of a new economic reality and rejuvenation,” Tinubu said.
He attributed the stellar performance to Nigerian companies proving they can deliver strong investment returns across all sectors, from blue-chip industrials localising supply chains to banks demonstrating technological innovation.
The President added, “Year-to-date returns have significantly outpaced the S&P 500, the FTSE 100, and even many of our emerging-market peers in the BRICS+ group. Nigeria is no longer a frontier market to be ignored—it is now a compelling destination where value is being discovered.”
Tinubu disclosed that more indigenous energy firms, technology companies, telecoms operators and infrastructure firms are preparing to list on the exchange, a move he said would deepen market capitalisation and broaden economic participation.
He also cited what he described as a sustained decline in inflation over eight months—from 34.8 per cent in December 2024 to 14.45 per cent in November 2025—projecting that the rate would fall below 10 per cent before the end of 2026.
“Indeed, inflation is likely to fall below 10 per cent before the end of this year, leading to improved living standards and accelerated GDP growth. The year 2026 promises to be an epochal year for delivering prosperity to all Nigerians,” he said.
The President attributed the trend to monetary tightening, elimination of Ways and Means financing, and agricultural investments, which he said helped stabilise the naira and ease post-reform pressures.
Nigeria’s current account surplus reached $16bn in 2024, with the Central Bank projecting $18.81bn in 2026, reflecting a trade pattern shift toward exporting more and importing less locally-producible goods.
Non-oil exports jumped 48 per cent to N9.2tn by the third quarter of 2025, with African exports nearly doubling to N4.9tn. Manufacturing exports grew 67 per cent year-on-year in the second quarter.
Foreign reserves have crossed $45bn and are expected to breach $50 billion in the first quarter, giving the CBN ammunition to maintain currency stability and end the volatility that previously fuelled speculation, according to the President.
Tinubu also highlighted infrastructure expansion in rail networks, arterial roads, port revitalisation, and the Lagos-Calabar and Sokoto-Badagry superhighways, alongside improvements in healthcare facilities that are reducing medical tourism costs, and increased university research grants funded through the Nigeria Education Loan Fund.
“Our medicare facilities are improving, and medical tourism costs are declining. Our students benefit from the Nigeria Education Loan Fund, and universities are receiving increased research grants,” he said.
He described nation-building as a process requiring hard work, sacrifices, and citizen focus, pledging to continue working to build an egalitarian, transparent, and high-growth economy catalysed by historic tax and fiscal reforms that came into full implementation from January 1.
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RSG Kicks Off Armed Forces Remembrance Day ‘Morrow …Restates Commitment Towards Veterans’ Welfare
The Rivers State Government has reiterated its commitment towards the welfare of veterans, serving officers and widows of fallen officers in the State.
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?The Secretary to the Rivers State Government, Dr. Benibo Anabraba, in a statement by ?Head, Information and Public Relations Unit, SSG’s ?Office, ?Juliana Masi, stated this during the Central Planning meeting of the 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
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?Anabraba thanked the Committee for their contributions to the success of the Emblem Appeal Fund Ceremony recently held in the State and called on them to double their efforts so that the State can record resounding success in the remaining activities.
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?According to him, the remembrance day events will begin with Jumaàt Prayers on Friday, 9th January at the Rivers State Central Mosque, Port Harcourt Township, while a Humanitarian Outreach/Family and Community Day will be hosted on Saturday, 10th January, by the wife of the governor, Lady Valerie Siminalayi Fubara, for widows and veterans.
?”On Sunday, 11th January, an Interdenominational Church Thanksgiving Service will hold at St. Cyprian Anglican Church, Port Harcourt Township while the Grand-finale Wreath- Laying Ceremony will hold on Thursday, 15th January at the Isaac Boro Park Cenotaph, Port Harcourt”, he said.
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?The SSG noted that one of the highlights of the events is the laying of wreaths by Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Heads of the Security Agencies.
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The Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has approved a minor cabinet reshuffle in the State Executive Council.
Under the new disposition, Barrister Christopher Green, who until now served as Commissioner for Sports, has been redeployed to the Ministry of Justice as the Honourable Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice.
This is contained in an official statement signed by Dr. Honour Sirawoo, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Communications.
According to the statement, Barrister Green will also continue to coordinate the activities of the Ministry of Sports pending the appointment of a substantive Commissioner to oversee the ministry.
The redeployment, which takes immediate effect, was approved at the last State Executive Council meeting for the year 2025, underscoring the Governor’s commitment to strengthening governance, ensuring continuity in service delivery, and optimising the performance of key ministries within the state.