Nigeria is bracing for a fresh round of fuel disruptions as two key downstream associations — the Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) and the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) — announced plans to shut down operations in solidarity with the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG).

PETROAN said its members will suspend the loading and sale of petrol beginning Tuesday, September 9, 2025. The association’s president, Dr. Billy Gillis-Harry, explained that the move is intended to push back against monopolistic control in the sector, warning that such practices — allegedly linked to Dangote Refinery — could wipe out smaller players, from depot operators to modular refiners.

According to the group, the three-day action will also see pump attendants, many of whom are NUPENG members, join the strike. Gillis-Harry urged filling station operators not to penalize workers who take part and called on President Bola Tinubu’s administration and regulators to intervene before the situation escalates. PETROAN further revealed it has set up a 120-member task force to monitor compliance nationwide.

In a related move, IPMAN’s Western Zone said its members will also stop operations from Monday, September 8. Chairman Chief Oyewole Akanni accused Dangote Refinery and MRS Energy of attempting to corner the fuel distribution market in breach of the Petroleum Industry Act. He warned that the move endangers more than 4,000 trucks owned by IPMAN members, along with the jobs of drivers, assistants, and investors.

The combined pressure from PETROAN, IPMAN, and NUPENG raises fears of a nationwide fuel shortage in the days ahead if talks with government and industry stakeholders do not resolve the dispute.