PENGASSAN escalates its standoff with Dangote Refinery, ordering a halt to vital oil and gas supplies.
The union accuses management of anti-labour practices, sparking tension over workers’ rights and job security.
The standoff between the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) intensified on Saturday, September 27, as the union instructed key operators to halt crude oil and natural gas deliveries to the $20 billion facility.
The action, which took effect immediately, represents a major escalation in the ongoing dispute over alleged anti-labour practices at the refinery.
In a letter dated September 26 and signed by its General Secretary, Lumumba Okugbawa, PENGASSAN accused the refinery’s management of retaliatory dismissals against staff who had exercised their right to join the union.
According to the directive, branch chairpersons at major upstream and midstream oil companies including TotalEnergies, Chevron, Seplat, Shell Nigeria Gas, Oando, Renaissance, and the Nigerian Gas Infrastructure Company (NGIC) were instructed to:
- Cut off gas supplies to the refinery via NGIC.
- Close all crude oil supply valves feeding the plant.
- Suspend all vessel loading operations destined for the facility.
The union reinforced its position by declaring solidarity with its members and vowing to resist any further infringements on workers’ rights.
Dangote Petroleum Refinery, however, rejected claims of a mass dismissal. In a statement on Friday, management said only a small number of employees were affected by what it described as a “workforce realignment” intended to safeguard operations and prevent acts of sabotage.
The company stressed that it still employs over 3,000 Nigerians and dismissed allegations of anti-union bias. Management said the restructuring was necessary to protect human life, equipment, and the smooth running of operations.
PENGASSAN countered that the dismissals were unlawful and criticized the company for, in its view, spreading misinformation rather than addressing workers’ concerns through negotiation.
