4,000 Dangote Trucks: NAPS Warns Against Oil Sector Clash, Urges Dialogue

ABUJA— The Senate Arm of the National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) has called for restraint and dialogue in the brewing face-off between the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) and the Dangote Group, warning that ordinary Nigerians must not bear the brunt of the dispute.

The call was contained in a statement jointly signed by the President of the Senate, Sen. Comr. Oyewumi Festus Ayomide, and the Clerk of the Senate, Sen. Comr. Jimoh Ibrahim.

Market Disruption and Rising Tensions

NAPS acknowledged that the entry of Alhaji Aliko Dangote and Sayyu Dantata into the downstream oil and gas sector had disrupted existing market dynamics, creating new competition that raised legitimate concerns among industry stakeholders.

However, the students’ body cautioned that the situation should not be allowed to escalate into confrontation that could worsen hardship for Nigerians already battling inflation and high cost of living.

Call for Dialogue Over Threats

“We caution that this matter should not be allowed to degenerate into confrontation,” the statement read. “Dialogue, not threats, will provide a level playing ground for addressing fears of monopoly while ensuring Nigerians enjoy cheaper, safer, and more consistent access to petroleum products.”

NAPS urged NUPENG, PETROAN, IPMAN, and the Dangote Group to put the interest of the masses above “selfish considerations,” noting that Nigerians have endured decades of fuel scarcity, arbitrary price hikes, and inefficiencies in the sector.

Dangote’s Market Impact

The group further highlighted the impact of the Dangote Refinery and its 4,000 CNG-powered trucks—the largest fleet in Nigeria’s petroleum logistics industry—arguing that such investment could stabilize supply and reduce costs.

“With no single company in Nigeria owning up to 2,000 trucks, Dangote’s 4,000 CNG-powered fleet at half the operating cost of diesel positions him as a market leader with capacity that cannot be wished away. This reality must guide the approach of all stakeholders,” the statement noted.

NAPS also commended Dangote’s broader contributions to the Nigerian economy, pointing to his investments in cement, agriculture, and now oil and gas, which have generated thousands of jobs and boosted GDP.

Framework for Fairness

The students’ body urged all parties to sit with government regulators to develop frameworks that would check excesses, protect workers’ rights, and prevent abuse of market dominance while encouraging innovation and efficiency.

“Nigeria cannot afford another industrial crisis in the petroleum sector,” the statement warned. “The Senate Arm of NAPS stands with Nigerians in demanding peace, fairness, and cheaper fuel. Dialogue is the way forward, not threats.”

🌿 When Hope Dares to Live in Hopelessness

By Femi Oyewale

Polytechnic Students Demand Sack of Communications Minister, Threaten Nationwide Protest

Abuja – The National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) has called for the immediate removal of Dr. Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, over what it described as “poor performance and failure to meet the expectations of Nigerian youths and students.”

In a strongly worded statement signed by the Senate President, Sen. Comrade Oyewumi Festus Ayomide, and Clerk of the Senate, Comrade Jimoh Ibrahim, the student body expressed dissatisfaction with the minister’s handling of key responsibilities in the sector.

According to NAPS, the minister’s leadership has been marred by three major failures:

1. Data Breach and Privacy Concerns:
The association accused the ministry of failing to secure citizens’ sensitive information, including National Identification Numbers (NIN), Bank Verification Numbers (BVN), passports and driver’s licenses, which were reportedly leaked and sold online for as little as ₦200.

2. Collapse of the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) Programme:
Once touted as a major initiative to empower Nigerian youths with digital skills, NAPS alleged that the 3MTT programme has become ineffective. They cited delayed payments to training partners, high dropout rates among students, and low completion numbers in states such as Katsina, where only 400 out of 1,400 participants finished the first cohort.

3. Disconnected Leadership:
The students further accused the minister of being inaccessible and out of touch with the very community he once championed, noting that his communication and policies have failed to resonate with young Nigerians.

Declaring a loss of confidence in Dr. Tijani’s leadership, NAPS announced plans to stage a “mother of all protests” across strategic locations in the country if the Federal Government fails to remove him.

> “We will not fold our arms while the future of Nigeria’s digital economy is mismanaged. This is not politics, it is accountability. Nigerian students are demanding responsible leadership,” the statement read.

While expressing readiness for confrontation, NAPS also signaled openness to dialogue, saying it is prepared to engage in constructive discussions to resolve the issues.

The group stressed that its demand is rooted in the protection of Nigeria’s digital future and not in partisan politics.