The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has elected Comrade Salimon Oladiti as its new president. He takes over from Comrade Williams Akporeha, who has completed his eight-year tenure.
Oladiti will lead the union for the next four years. Before this, he served as a National Trustee of the union. He was elected during NUPENG’s 6th Quadrennial Delegates Conference held in Lagos.
Comrade Akin Oladejo was also elected as the deputy president. He previously served as Chairman of the union’s Oil and Gas Supply Branch.
Oladiti is taking over at a time when Nigeria’s oil and gas sector is going through major changes. These include refinery expansion, market reforms, energy transition, and ongoing concerns about workers’ welfare and job security.
In his speech, the outgoing president, Akporeha, urged the federal government to do more to address insecurity across the country. He said insecurity is affecting economic growth and discouraging investment.
He pointed out that issues like petroleum truck hijacking and kidnapping are increasing, forcing workers to spend more on security.
Akporeha also called on the government to improve the welfare of security agencies and provide them with better equipment to fight crime.
He raised concerns about poor road conditions, saying many important roads are still in bad shape. This makes work difficult for union members, especially with the rainy season coming.
Other participants at the conference shared similar concerns, warning that insecurity could affect Nigeria’s economic and political progress if not addressed.
Akporeha advised the new leaders to focus on workers’ welfare and protect the union’s values. He urged them to defend workers’ rights and ensure fairness in the system.