Truck drivers employed by the Dangote Group have raised alarm over what they describe as incessant harassment from newly minted retail investors following the launch of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals Initial Public Offering (IPO) on September 14, 2026.

In a viral Hausa-language video translated into English by Economic Confidential, one driver recounted multiple encounters with members of the public who stopped him on the road and claimed co-ownership of his truck simply because they had purchased shares in the company.

“Yesterday, I was offloading goods when someone came on a motorcycle. After greeting me, he asked, ‘My friend, how is our truck?’ I was confused. He then said he now owns shares in Dangote,” the driver said.

He added that another person in a taxi stopped to warn him not to drive carelessly, threatening to recommend his dismissal because he too was a new shareholder. “Since the IPO launched yesterday, three people have already approached me to tell me to drive carefully,” the driver lamented, describing the situation as “unbearable.”

The driver stressed that while Nigerians are free to invest in the refinery, buying shares does not confer ownership of company assets or authority over its workers. “Let me make this clear: nobody should stop me or tell me to be careful with the Dangote truck. The shares you bought are yours and have nothing to do with my job,” he said, appealing to the public to stop interrupting drivers.

The Dangote Refinery IPO, billed as Africa’s biggest public offering, opened with strong retail interest, allowing ordinary Nigerians to buy shares with a low minimum subscription. The excitement quickly spilled onto social media, where new shareholders began joking about their “co-ownership” status, filming trucks, demanding board meetings, and role-playing as bosses.

Coverage by outlets including PRNigeria and NBG Africa has amplified the drivers’ complaints, while X (formerly Twitter) has been flooded with humorous skits and reaction videos mocking the over-enthusiastic investors.

The incidents highlight the unusual side-effect of the highly publicised “people’s IPO,” which aimed to broaden ownership of the giant refinery among everyday Nigerians. As of now, there has been no official response from the Dangote Group regarding the drivers’ concerns.