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The National Union of Edible Oil Tanker Drivers of Nigeria (NUEOTDN) has raised the alarm over the alleged deployment of tankers previously used for petroleum products to transport edible oil, warning that the practice poses serious food-safety and public-health risks.
In a statement signed by its president, Ilias Aperun, the union also accused the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) branch of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) of encroaching on its operational jurisdiction.
According to NUEOTDN, the alleged practice could result in contamination of edible oil if petroleum tankers are used without proper, verifiable and food-safety-compliant cleaning and conversion processes. The union has called on the Federal Government, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the Federal Ministry of Health, the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and other relevant stakeholders to urgently intervene.
'Petroleum products and edible oils are fundamentally different commodities and should be transported in appropriately dedicated systems to safeguard consumers,' Aperun said.
He added: 'A tanker previously used for petroleum products may pose serious contamination and hygiene concerns if it is subsequently deployed to carry food-grade products without an appropriate, verifiable and food-safety-compliant cleaning and conversion process.'
The union warned that contamination from petroleum residues could expose consumers to toxic substances, potentially causing DNA damage, organ failure and increased cancer risks.
NUEOTDN stressed that it was not opposed to regulation, inspection or enforcement, but urged authorities to ensure that such measures did not result in jurisdictional conflicts or undermine operators who had invested in dedicated food-grade transportation equipment. The union said its members transport edible oil and other food-grade products in dedicated tankers identified by its registered trademark colours of leaf-green and tomato-red.
'Our members and operators have invested heavily in dedicated tankers and hygiene equipment for the edible-oil industry,' Aperun said, adding that drivers had undergone safe-to-load training with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and safety and hygiene education from regulatory agencies, including NAFDAC and the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA).
The dispute over operational jurisdiction has been the subject of a conciliation process initiated by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment through the Director of Trade Unions and Industrial Relations, Amos Falonipe. Following a conciliation meeting on August 17, 2026, the NUEOTDN leadership met with NUPENG officials, including PTD Lagos Zonal Chairman Saheed Adigun Omogbolahan, on September 1 in Lagos.
NUEOTDN said the meeting failed to produce a meaningful resolution, and the involvement of the Amalgamated Union of Wharf Truck Owners (AUTOWN) had further complicated the dispute. The union maintained that NUPENG (PTD) and AUTOWN should operate within their respective jurisdictions and refrain from interfering with the operations of edible-oil tanker operators.
Among its demands, NUEOTDN wants the government to clearly define the jurisdictional boundaries of NUPENG (PTD), NUEOTDN and AUTOWN. It is also calling for the establishment and enforcement of national standards distinguishing food-grade tankers from petroleum-product tankers, including the activation and enforcement of NUEOTDN's registered tanker identification system. The union further wants authorities to ensure that tankers used for petroleum products are not subsequently deployed to transport edible oil unless they meet all applicable food-safety requirements.
NUEOTDN said it had formally notified the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment of its intention to embark on a total shutdown from September 22, 2026, if the dispute is not resolved. The union said the proposed industrial action would be peaceful and lawful, with emergency and essential services respected.
'We do not want a disruption of the nation's edible-oil supply chain. But we cannot continue to watch silently while NUPENG (PTD) continues to endanger the lives of Nigerians. The time for decisive intervention is now,' Aperun said.
The union urged the Federal Government and relevant regulatory and labour authorities to intervene before the proposed industrial action begins, warning that failure to resolve the dispute could have implications for the nation's edible-oil supply chain.
Source: Business News Nigeria