The Federal Government has declared the Dangote Refinery a vital national asset, urging PENGASSAN to avoid crippling actions and stressing that “Nigeria is greater than PENGASSAN.”
The Federal Government has reaffirmed its strong support for the 650,000-barrel-per-day Dangote Refinery, describing it as a national asset that must be safeguarded at all costs.
Speaking at the opening of the 31st Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja on Monday, Vice President Kashim Shettima urged labour unions, particularly the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), to show restraint in their dispute with the refinery. He emphasized that the success of the $20 billion facility was critical to Nigeria’s economic future.
“Aliko Dangote is not an individual, he’s an institution, and he’s a leading light in Nigeria’s economic parliament. And how we treat this gentleman will determine how outsiders will judge us. If he had invested $10 billion in Microsoft, Amazon, or Google, he probably might be worth $70 to $80 billion by now. But he opted to invest in his country, and we owe it to future generations to jealously protect, promote, preserve, and protect the interests of this great Nigeria,” Shettima said.
The Vice President warned against actions that could sabotage the refinery, stating: “It’s not about holding the whole nation to ransom because of a minor labour dispute. Nigeria is greater than PENGASSAN. Nigeria is greater than each and every one of us.”
Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Atiku Bagudu, echoed Shettima’s remarks, stressing that the refinery represents a turning point for Nigeria’s industrial and economic ambitions.
Shettima noted that the way the conflict is managed would send a strong signal to investors across sectors, calling for “caution, retrospection, and a deeper sense of patriotism” from both labour and industry stakeholders.
The faceoff comes after PENGASSAN staged industrial action over workers’ unionization rights and the refinery’s dismissal of hundreds of employees.