There has been no shortage of conflicts between the government and workers in Nigeria's downstream oil and gas sector. In the past, these conflicts primarily occurred between employers and employees, but in the Fourth Republic, a new trend has emerged, involving the participation of state governments and unions in the industry's disputes. The conflict was a result of the unions' reaction to the government's social and economic policies. This new trend is best illustrated by the example of Lagos State, where the state government's attempt to regulate traffic led to clashes between the state government and members of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), which in turn resulted in further conflicts. The paper argues that poor governance was the root of the conflict, as successive governments have neglected the infrastructural needs of the nation in this sector, leading to dependency on imported refined crude oil products. This dependency has created its own issues in managing traffic, as the main import location is in Lagos, which lacks sufficient parking to accommodate the influx of unprecedented tanker trucks.