Dangote truck drivers earn more than graduates, far more than Nigeria’s minimum wage
The Chairman of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, during a press conference on Monday, put to rest the notion that his plan to have 4000 in-house CNG trucks would lead to job losses.
Dangote disclosed that their drivers earn better than graduates, stressing that joining the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, should be voluntary.
“The trucks we launched didn’t stop anyone from their work. We hear there will be a loss of jobs. Will our tankers be driven by robots?
“By the time you take a workshop, managers, people who look after tires, people who look after logistics, dispatch, every truck is about 6 people.
“Every truck is about six people. So these trucks they are fighting over will create 24,000 jobs.,” he said.
“And let me give you another piece of good news, our salary is almost three times or four times their own (Nigerian Union drivers).
“After 5 years free of accidents, since you’re driving hazardous goods, you can apply for and get a housing loan.
Our drivers earn more than graduates; if you look at what they earn a month, it’s almost four times the minimum wage,” he added.
Going by the face value of Nigeria’s current minimum wage, which sits at ₦70,000 per month ($46.84), a Dangote truck driver, according to Africa’s richest man, would be earning anywhere from ₦210,000 to ₦280,000.
Gentechnews reported that in June 2025, the Dangote Refinery announced plans to create an in-house distribution engine using 4,000 CNG-powered trucks. The initiative was created with the intention of cutting yearly gasoline distribution costs by ₦1.7 trillion and enhancing the efficiency of Nigeria’s fuel supply chain.
However, the Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), a non-profit organization representing most of the retail outlet owners and filling stations across Nigeria, visibly criticized the initiative, describing it as a dangerous overreach.
PETROAN asserted that allowing Dangote to act as both producer and distributor would result in monopolistic market domination, reduce competition.
The Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association of Nigeria (NOGASA), who act as intermediaries both refineries and end users. also expressed concerns about Dangote’s plan.
NOGASA President, Benneth Korie, warned that deploying the CNG trucks might have serious ramifications for the downstream sector, including the disruption of the country’s petroleum supply chain.
Korie asserted that the plan could result in the loss of thousands of jobs, particularly those held by small merchants, transporters, and suppliers whose livelihoods rely on the present distribution network.