Scrap dealers begin 15-day nationwide strike
The National Association of Scrap and Waste Dealers and Employers of Nigeria (NASWDEN) has commenced a 15-day nationwide warning strike over alleged unfair pricing, manipulation of weighing scales and production of substandard iron rods by some foreign-owned steel companies.
The association’s Deputy National President, Comrade Aminu Hassan Soja, announced this at a press conference, saying the strike began on October 1 and would involve a total cut-off of scrap supply to steel companies across the country.
He warned that the association would extend the strike indefinitely if no agreement was reached with the companies or the Federal Government during the warning period.
“We call on our members nationwide to embark on this warning strike for 15 days, starting from today, October 1, 2026. If we have reconciliation with the companies, we may call off the strike. But if we don’t have reconciliation, we will go indefinite,” Soja said.
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He alleged that some foreign-owned iron-smelting companies had been reducing the prices they paid for scrap metal, resulting in losses of between N3 million and N4 million on a single truckload.
According to him, the companies had failed to provide satisfactory explanations for the frequent price reductions, which he said were causing serious difficulties for scrap dealers across the country.
Soja also accused the companies of manipulating weighing scales, alleging that dealers who supplied one tonne, equivalent to 1,000 kilogrammes, could receive payment based on substantially lower weights.
He further alleged that some companies were producing substandard iron rods by manipulating the sizes and quantities of materials used in production.
He claimed that 12mm rods were sometimes produced as 10mm, alleging that such practices could have implications for the quality of construction materials and building safety.
Another grievance, he said, was what the association described as “extra dose”, which he alleged involved deductions of between one and five per cent from the weight of scrap supplied to the companies on the grounds of impurities.
Soja also accused some foreign companies of opening scrap collection points and dump sites in communities, saying the development was pushing indigenous scrap dealers out of business.
He said the association had repeatedly complained to relevant government departments and ministries but that its efforts had so far failed to resolve the issues.
“This is not just about us. These foreign companies are taking away our jobs. They are sending a lot of youths out of jobs,” he said.
He described the scrap industry as one of the country’s major employers of labour, particularly among young people, and called for government intervention to protect indigenous operators.
Soja said the association had already received an invitation from the Federal Government through the Executive Secretary of the National Steel Council, Ambassador Abdelkader Fadi, who listened to their grievances and received their complaints in writing.
He said the official assured the association that the matter would be presented to the relevant minister, adding that the dealers were awaiting the government’s response.
The NASWDEN leader said members across the country had complied with the strike directive, claiming that trucks carrying scrap metal had been parked in various locations.
He said the association was seeking government intervention to formalise the informal scrap industry and provide financial support that would enable indigenous operators to establish and expand their own businesses.
“We want the Federal Government to come in and formalise it. To collaborate with us, give lots of scrap traders intervention funds, so that indigenous people can also establish the kind of companies these foreigners are establishing,” he said.
He appealed to the government to intervene before the dispute escalated, saying the association’s demands were aimed at protecting jobs and ensuring greater participation of indigenous businesses in the steel and recycling industry.
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