THE Dangote Petroleum Refinery has condemned the directive by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) ordering a halt in crude oil and gas supplies to its $20bn facility, describing the move as “lawless, criminal, and reckless.”
In a statement issued on Saturday, September 27, the refinery management stated that the union has no legal authority to instruct its members to disrupt contractual agreements between the refinery and its vendors, which could lead to nationwide scarcity.
It warned that such actions amount to criminal interference and could trigger chaos in the country.
“Those supply contracts were not entered into with PENGASSAN; they were entered into with third-party vendors and suppliers. PENGASSAN has no right whatsoever to disrupt or interfere with the performance of those contracts,” the refinery said. It added that Nigeria is a country governed by laws, and mob-style directives risk plunging the nation into anarchy.
The company further accused the union of economic sabotage, noting that the disruption would affect essential products such as aviation fuel, petrol, kerosene, diesel, and cooking gas—commodities used daily by Nigerians across all classes.
Dangote Refinery also highlighted that it is one of the largest contributors to government revenue, and any interruption in operations would threaten federal and state income.
The refinery urged the Federal Government and security agencies to intervene immediately, warning that allowing the union’s directive to stand would have nationwide repercussions.
The standoff follows a letter dated September 26, in which PENGASSAN accused the refinery of sacking unionised workers and spreading “misinformation and propaganda” instead of addressing labour concerns.
The union instructed its branches, including the Nigerian Gas Infrastructure Company (NGIC), to shut all crude supply valves, cut gas supply, and halt loading operations for vessels headed to the refinery.
Nurudeen Akewushola is an investigative reporter and fact-checker with The ICIR. He believes courageous in-depth investigative reporting is the key to social justice, accountability and good governance in society. You can reach him via nyahaya@icirnigeria.org and @NurudeenAkewus1 on Twitter.