The Federal Government has averted what could have been a major industrial crisis in the nation’s oil and gas sector, after successfully mediating the dispute between the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
The intervention, led by Labour and Employment Minister, Dr. Muhammad Maigari-Dingyadi, brought to an end a tense standoff that saw the union threaten to cripple operations by cutting off gas supply to the multi-billion-dollar refinery — a move that analysts warned could destabilise Nigeria’s fuel market.
The two-day conciliation meeting, which concluded on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, drew in heavyweight stakeholders, including the National Security Adviser, the Ministers of Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, and State for Petroleum (Gas), as well as security and regulatory agencies.
At the heart of the crisis was PENGASSAN’s protest over the termination of over 800 workers, which the union alleged was an abuse of labour rights. Dangote Refinery, however, defended the decision as part of a restructuring process to streamline operations.
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The government-brokered resolutions included:
- Immediate redeployment of the affected workers into other Dangote subsidiaries with no loss of pay.
- A guarantee that no worker will be victimised for participating in the industrial action.
- A commitment by both parties to honour the agreements in good faith.
PENGASSAN has now agreed to suspend its strike, clearing the way for normal operations to resume at the refinery.
Minister Maigari-Dingyadi hailed the truce as “a demonstration of Nigeria’s capacity to resolve disputes through dialogue rather than disruption.”
Observers note that the Dangote Refinery is not just another industrial facility but a strategic national asset, central to Nigeria’s goal of achieving self-sufficiency in refined petroleum products. Any prolonged shutdown, they warn, could have had far-reaching implications for the economy, fuel supply, and investor confidence.
For now, both the government and labour unions will be keeping a close watch to ensure the resolutions are implemented, as the refinery resumes its role in powering Nigeria’s industrial and economic ambitions.
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