The standoff between the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) intensified sharply on Saturday, September 27, as the union ordered an immediate halt to crude oil and gas deliveries to the $20 billion facility.
In a directive issued on September 26 and signed by General Secretary Lumumba Okugbawa, PENGASSAN accused the refinery’s management of anti-labour practices, including the unlawful dismissal of union members for exercising their right to freedom of association.
The union’s directive instructed its branch leaders across major upstream and midstream oil companies—including TotalEnergies, Chevron, Seplat, Shell Nigeria Gas, Oando, Renaissance, and the Nigerian Gas Infrastructure Company (NGIC)—to:
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Immediately suspend all gas supplies to the refinery via NGIC;
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Shut down all crude oil supply valves leading to the facility;
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Halt vessel loading operations destined for the refinery.
The letter concluded with a firm declaration of union solidarity: “Injury to one is injury to all.”
The move represents a significant escalation in the ongoing dispute, which PENGASSAN claims stems from the refinery’s retaliation against employees for joining the union.
In response, Dangote Refinery rejected the accusations, stating that no mass lay-off had occurred. In a statement issued Friday, refinery management said only a small number of employees were affected by a recent restructuring, which it described as a necessary measure to prevent internal sabotage and ensure operational safety.
“The reorganisation was essential due to repeated acts of sabotage that posed serious risks to human life and critical infrastructure,” the company said, adding that over 3,000 Nigerians remain employed at the facility.
PENGASSAN, however, dismissed the explanation as misleading and accused the company of avoiding meaningful dialogue. The union insists the dismissals were retaliatory and unlawful, characterizing the company’s response as a deflection from legitimate worker grievances.
As of Saturday evening, supply lines to the refinery had been disrupted, raising concerns about the short-term impact on operations at Africa’s largest refinery.
