PENGASSAN's nationwide strike impacts Dangote Petroleum Refinery operations amid ongoing industrial action.
*Directs its members to withdraw their services with effect from 12 midnight today
*Alleges mass dismissal of some Nigerian workers by Mgt of Dangote Refinery
*That decision to embark on strike was reached after its emergency NEC meeting
*As FG summons Dangote, PENGASSAN to emergency conciliation meeting today
By Michael Oche
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has directed its members nationwide to withdraw their services following the alleged mass dismissal of some Nigerian workers by the management of Dangote Refinery.
PENGASSAN in a circular on Sunday by its General Secretary Lumumba Okugbawa said the decision to embark on the strike was reached after an emergency National Executive Council meeting on Saturday.
The union accused the management of the refinery of violating Nigeria’s labour laws, the Constitution, and International Labour Organisation conventions by dismissing workers for joining the association.
It alleged the refinery had replaced the dismissed staff with “over 2,000 Indians,” calling the action “an affront to all workers in Nigeria.”
PENGASSAN directed members in field locations to down tools from Sunday, and ordered a total nationwide shutdown across offices, companies, institutions, and agencies from Monday.
“All PENGASSAN members working across field locations are to withdraw services effective 06:00hrs on Sunday, 28 September 2025 and commence 24-hour prayers. This includes all control room operations, panel operations, and outfield personnel,” the union said.
“All PENGASSAN members across all offices, companies, institutions, and agencies should withdraw all services effective 00:01 on Monday, 29th of September, 2025.
“No intervention whatsoever will be entertained across field locations except where the safety of personnel and assets is at risk; such clearance must be obtained from the National Secretariat.
“All processes that involve gas and crude supply to Dangote Refinery should be let off effectively immediately,
“All IOC branches must ramp down gas production and supply to Dangote Refinery and petrochemicals”, the circular read.
According to the circular, the union announced 24-hour prayer vigils and appealed for government intervention, declaring that the strike will continue until the dismissed workers are reinstated.
“An injury to one is an injury to all. No man is bigger than our country,” it added.
It would be recalled that recently, Dangote refinery has been at loggerheads with NUPENG over labour rights and safety standards.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government on Sunday asked the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENSASSAN) to reconsider its proposed strike starting tomorrow, Monday, September 29, 2025, over its dispute with Dangote Refinery.
Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, who made this plea, said his Ministry has taken steps to bring both parties to a roundtable to stop their dispute from escalating further.
Dingyadi disclosed that invitations have been extended to both the leadership of PENGASSAN and Dangote Refinery management to attend an emergency meeting in his office on Monday for the conciliation of their dispute.
The Minister called on the leadership of PENGASSAN to withdraw the strike declaration to allow his Ministry to conciliate the dispute in a peaceful atmosphere.
Speaking further, Dingyadi said: “The Ministry of Labour and Employment through the Director of Trade Union Services and Industrial Relations has extended invitations to the leadership of PENGASSAN and the management of Dangote Refinery to attend a conciliation meeting in my office on Monday.
“I appeal to both parties to be mindful of the importance of the petroleum sector to the country, being the core of her economy. A strike will not only lead to heavy revenue losses by the country but also cause more hardship and difficulties for Nigerians. Consequentially, it will have adverse impacts, both on economic stability and national security.”
The Minister urged the feuding parties to give peace a chance, assuring them that the Federal Government would resolve the dispute amicably to the satisfaction of all the parties involved and in the national interest.
