Nigeria’s senior oil workers’ union PENGASSAN has directed members to stop supplying crude and gas to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery over alleged anti-labour practices and the dismissal of unionised workers.
The standoff between the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) escalated on Saturday as the union ordered a shutdown of crude oil and gas supplies to the $20 billion facility.
In a September 26 letter signed by General Secretary Lumumba Okugbawa, PENGASSAN accused refinery management of sacking workers “in reaction to the exercise of their constitutional right to being unionized.” The directive instructed chairmen in TotalEnergies, Chevron, Seplat, Oando, Shell Nigeria Gas, Renaissance and the Nigerian Gas Infrastructure Company to “cut off gas supply… effective immediately” and halt crude loading operations.
PENGASSAN threatened to picket the plant, declaring, “Injury to one! Injury to all!”
Dangote Refinery denied allegations of mass layoffs, saying more than 3,000 Nigerians remain employed and that recent restructuring was necessary “to prevent acts of sabotage.” The company insisted the reorganisation affected only a few staff and was critical to protect lives and operations.