The face-off between Dangote Refinery and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and Petroleum Truck Drivers took a different dimension on Wednesday as the National Industrial Court, Abuja, barred the unions temporarily from blocking Nigerian roads and shutdown of the oil firm.

Justice E.D. Subilim delivered the ruling on Wednesday after Dangote Refinery’s counsel, George Ibrahim, SAN, filed an ex parte order to that effect.

The ex parte order was filed along with the originating processes and a motion on notice, all dated 15 September 2025.

In his ruling, Justice Sublim said, “An interim injunction is hereby granted restraining the 2nd Defendant/Respondent, its members, agents, servants, privies, representatives, assigns, or whatsoever and howsoever called from joining, continuing, further embarking on, or in any manner participating in the planned industrial action declared by the Defendant/Respondent or any other strike whatsoever against the Claimants/Applicants with a view to frustrating their businesses and operations pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.”

Meanwhile, the order is expected to last for seven days.

Recall that in the past weeks, NUPENG and Dangote Refinery engaged in a face-off, saturating public discourse.

NUPENG, the Depot Petroleum Product Marketers Association of Nigeria, had accused Dangote Refinery of anti-labour activities and planning to stifle competition.

However, Aliko Dangote, president of the 650,000-barrel-per-day refinery, in a recent media briefing, dismissed NUPENG and DAPPMAN’s allegations.

Recall that NUPENG and its affiliate unions on Monday, 8 September, 2025, paralysed fuel distribution before the Federal Government intervened.

Meanwhile, following the collapse of agreements between NUPENG and Dangote Refinery, the union had threatened to embark on a fresh strike.