- The workers’ leader also appealed to AA Rano’s management to engage in dialogue with employees and stakeholders
- Zango argued that introducing job-cutting technology amid rising inflation, insecurity and unemployment was ill-timed
- AA Rano had announced that the new outlets, expected to launch this month, would run on contactless payment systems
Petrol station attendants have raised fresh concerns over AA Rano’s plan to deploy automated, unmanned fuel outlets across Nigeria, warning that the innovation could deepen job losses if not carefully managed.
Eko Hot Blog reports that the workers, operating under the banner of the Concerned Petrol Station Workers, fear the proposed 24-hour self-service stations would phase out pump attendants entirely, leaving thousands without a source of income at a time of worsening economic hardship.
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AA Rano had announced that the new outlets, expected to launch this month, would run on contactless payment systems, automated fuel dispensers and remote monitoring technology, removing the need for human operators at the stations.
Reacting to the development, the group’s convener and labour rights advocate, Comrade Ibrahim Zango, said the move could trigger widespread unemployment among young Nigerians who rely on petrol station jobs to survive.
In a statement released in Kaduna, Zango argued that introducing job-cutting technology amid rising inflation, insecurity and unemployment was ill-timed, warning that displaced workers could be pushed into desperation.
He stressed that many attendants have spent years in the sector and support extended families with their earnings, adding that sudden displacement without a transition plan would worsen social challenges.
While acknowledging that technological progress is inevitable, Zango maintained that innovation should be inclusive and structured to create alternative opportunities rather than erase existing livelihoods.
He called on the Federal Government and relevant regulatory bodies to urgently step in with policies that protect workers while encouraging innovation in the downstream petroleum sector.
The workers’ leader also appealed to AA Rano’s management to engage in dialogue with employees and stakeholders, urging the company to balance technological advancement with its social responsibility to Nigerians whose lives depend on the industry.
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