By Ann Okoroafor
As the crisis in Nigeria’s petroleum industry deepens following the dispute between the Dangote Refinery and major unions, petrol station workers have raised alarm over what they describe as neglect, exploitation, and abuse in the sector.
Operating under the umbrella of the Concerned Petrol Station Workers (CPSWs), the group said they were “dying in silence” despite serving as the vital link between fuel and millions of Nigerian consumers daily.
In a statement on Sunday in Kaduna, the group’s spokesperson, Ibrahim Zango, decried poor wages, lack of protection, and harsh working conditions endured by attendants and other employees nationwide.
“We are the ones who stand under the scorching sun and in the rain to serve millions every day, yet we are treated as if our lives don’t matter,” Zango said.
He added that many workers were afraid to speak up for fear of losing their jobs, even though they remained the “engine room” of Nigeria’s petroleum economy.
According to him, despite their crucial role in fuel distribution, attendants, security guards, and managers remained among the lowest-paid workers in the country, with some earning as little as ₦20,000 to ₦30,000 monthly—far below the national cost of living.
“How do you survive on ₦20,000 in today’s Nigeria? We don’t even get allowances or medical support. If you complain, you risk losing your job,” he lamented.
The group further alleged that workers were often forced to pay for fuel shortages resulting from faulty pumps or accounting discrepancies beyond their control, further worsening their hardship. Many, they said, also faced exposure to toxic fumes, robbery attacks, and other hazards without protective gear or insurance.
“When there’s a fire outbreak, robbery, or accident, the owners disappear, and the attendants are left to suffer. We are the unsung heroes of Nigeria’s oil economy,” Zango added.
He accused petrol station owners of suppressing unionisation efforts, saying attempts to demand fair treatment were often met with intimidation, harassment, and threats.
“Even the law doesn’t seem to protect us. We can’t form unions, and NUPENG has not organised us effectively. We are just on our own,” he alleged.
The CPSWs urged the Federal Government, Ministry of Labour, and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to include petrol station workers in ongoing petroleum sector reforms. Their demands include fair wages, improved working conditions, regulated shifts, rest breaks, protective gear, the right to unionise, and effective representation by NUPENG.
“Petrol station workers are not invisible. We are not expendable. We are Nigerians who keep the economy running, often at the expense of our health and dignity,” Zango declared.
