The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has pushed back against comments by Vice President Kashim Shettima criticising the union’s recent industrial action against the Dangote refinery, following the alleged dismissal of unionised workers.
Speaking on Monday, PENGASSAN said it would not hesitate to take similar action in the future should its members be dismissed under similar circumstances. The union accused the Dangote refinery of sacking over 800 workers for joining the association — an allegation the company has denied, stating that only a small number were dismissed for sabotage as part of a broader reorganisation effort.
The strike action, which led to disruptions in oil and gas supply and a decline in power generation, was suspended last Wednesday following federal government intervention. The Dangote Group was reportedly directed to redeploy the affected workers to other business units.
Despite the suspension of the strike, Nigerians continue to face elevated prices for cooking gas, with costs remaining around ₦2,000 per kilogram in Lagos, significantly above the ₦900 rate before the strike.
Addressing the 2025 Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja, Vice President Shettima defended Aliko Dangote, calling him “an institution” and “a pillar” of Nigeria’s economy. He warned that no one should hold the country to ransom over what he described as a “minor labour dispute.”
“Nigeria is greater than PENGASSAN. Nigeria is greater than each and every one of us,” Shettima stated.
In response, PENGASSAN President Festus Osifo argued that the nation is equally greater than Dangote and the Presidency, reiterating the union’s commitment to protecting its members’ jobs.
“If this same event occurs again tomorrow, our approach will be exactly the same,” said Osifo, who also heads the Trade Union Congress. He dismissed calls for the union’s dissolution, questioning whether any law prohibits strike action.
PENGASSAN General Secretary, Lumumba Okugbawa, echoed this sentiment, saying, “Is Nigeria not bigger than any individual or institution?”
Kaduna protesters accuse union of sabotage
On the same day, protesters in Kaduna rallied in support of the Dangote refinery, accusing PENGASSAN of attempting to undermine Nigeria’s local refining capacity.
The protest, organised by a group called Partners for National Economic Progress (PANEP), alleged that a powerful fuel importation cartel and sympathetic elements within labour unions were attempting to sabotage the refinery to protect their interests.
“Kaduna used to be a textile hub before sabotage destroyed it. Today, they want to replicate that in our petroleum sector,” said PANEP leader Igwe Ude-Umanta.
Protesters carried placards bearing messages such as “Protect Local Refining” and “Support Dangote Refinery.” They called for President Bola Tinubu to ensure local refineries receive crude oil at the same price as foreign refineries and urged heavy tariffs on imported fuel to protect domestic production.
Another protest leader, Dahiru Maishanu, accused the union of “economic terrorism” and called for legal action against its leadership.
“What PENGASSAN did was not unionism; it was sabotage,” he said.
Union branch dissolved amid internal crisis
Meanwhile, PENGASSAN has reportedly dissolved its Nigerian Gas Infrastructure Company (NGIC) and Nigerian Gas Marketing Limited (NGML) chapter for failing to execute the directive to shut down gas supply to the Dangote refinery during the strike.
In a formal appeal to the national secretariat, 163 members of the affected branch condemned the decision as unjust, citing operational hazards and heavy security presence that impeded their efforts.
They insisted the leadership made genuine attempts to carry out the shutdown order but were hindered by technical challenges and safety concerns.
The appeal stated: “Our leaders did more than enough to carry out the directive… They faced several intimidation and assaults, with emphasis on escalations at Oben Metering Station, where lives were at risk.”
The petition also denied claims that the refinery was completely shut down, clarifying that only selected valves were closed temporarily.
Dangote thanks Tinubu for intervention
In a statement, Dangote Petroleum Refinery expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for his intervention in halting what it termed the “disruptive actions” of PENGASSAN. The company praised senior government officials, including the National Security Adviser and several ministers, for their roles in restoring order to the energy sector.
The refinery said: “We remain very grateful to these officials for their patriotism and national service.”
Economic reform outlook
Elsewhere at the economic summit, Budget and Economic Planning Minister Senator Abubakar Bagudu reaffirmed the government’s commitment to sustaining reforms that stabilise the economy, noting a projected GDP growth of 4.6 per cent in 2025.
Trade and Investment Minister Dr Jumoke Oduwole said the government was moving from “policy to practice,” aiming to cut trade costs by up to 75 per cent and strengthen standards to boost exports.
Nigerian Economic Summit Group Chairman, Olaniyi Yusuf, cautioned that investor confidence could be undermined if domestic investors like Dangote were not properly protected.
“Dead businesses don’t employ workers, they don’t pay salaries, and they don’t pay taxes,” he said, calling for a national framework to drive industrialisation and private sector growth.
