By Abubakar Yunusa
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria has declared a nationwide shutdown following the alleged dismissal of more than 800 Nigerian workers by Dangote Refinery.
In a circular released after an emergency National Executive Council meeting on Saturday, the union accused the refinery of breaching Nigeria’s labour laws and international conventions by sacking staff who joined the association.
The General Secretary, Lumumba Okugbawa, signed the letter, which directed members across field locations to down tools from Sunday, with a total shutdown ordered nationwide from Monday.
According to the NEC, the refinery allegedly replaced the sacked workers with “over 2,000 Indians,” describing the action as “an affront to all workers in Nigeria.”
“All PENGASSAN members across all offices, companies, institutions, and agencies should withdraw all services effective 00:01 on Monday, 29th of September, 2025,” the union declared.
The letter warned that no intervention would be allowed at operational sites except where safety was at risk, stressing that all crude and gas supply processes to Dangote Refinery must be stopped immediately.
The association also announced 24-hour prayer vigils and vowed not to suspend the strike until the workers were reinstated.
“An injury to one is an injury to all. No man is bigger than our country,” the circular said.
The refinery has been locked in a bitter row with labour unions in recent months, with safety standards and labour rights at the centre of the dispute.
Dangote Refinery, however, said the move was part of an internal reorganisation to improve efficiency and insisted that most of its workforce remained Nigerian.
PENGASSAN’s strike, if fully enforced, could choke operations at Africa’s largest refinery and disrupt downstream supply chains tied to the 650,000-barrel-per-day plant.
Never miss a moment! Get the stories shaping Nigeria, delivered straight to your phone. Follow Peoplesdaily Newspaper on WhatsApp for breaking news, exclusive reports, and the headlines everyone will be talking about, before anyone else.
