₦airaland Forum

The industrial dispute between the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria took a dramatic turn on Saturday as the union ordered seven branches to cut off crude oil and gas supplies to the $20bn facility.

In a letter dated September 26 and signed by its General Secretary, Lumumba Okugbawa, the union accused the refinery’s management of sacking its members in retaliation for exercising their constitutional right to join the union.

The union’s move marks an escalation in the standoff, with PENGASSAN accusing the refinery of anti-labour practices and the unlawful sack of its members.

In the directive issued to its branch chairmen, PENGASSAN instructed its branch chairmen in key upstream and midstream oil companies, including TotalEnergies, Chevron, Seplat, Shell Nigeria Gas, Oando, and Nigerian Gas Infrastructure Company, to immediately cut off all crude oil and gas supplies to the refinery.


PUNCH Online reports that the directive comes after PENGASSAN alleged that Nigerian workers were sacked by Dangote Refinery after joining the union, claiming that management also withdrew staff buses and denied entry to locals while allowing expatriates access.

The union threatened to picket the refinery if the situation was not addressed.

In a statement on Friday, the refinery clarified that only a small number of workers were affected by what it described as a reorganisation aimed at preventing acts of sabotage within the facility. It said over 3,000 Nigerians remain in employment, rejecting claims of mass layoffs. https://punchng.com/just-in-over-3000-nigerians-working-at-dangote-refinery-despite-restructuring-management/

Dangote maintained that the restructuring was necessary after what it described as recurring acts of sabotage in different units of the refinery, which posed serious risks to human lives and operations.

As a result, PENGASSAN instructed its branches in TotalEnergies, Seplat, Chevron, Oando, Shell Nigeria Gas, Renaissance, and NGIC to cut gas supply to the refinery immediately.


The union described the move as “illegitimate” and accused the refinery of spreading misinformation instead of addressing the matter through dialogue.

“As you are aware, the Management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery has disengaged our members in reaction to the exercise of their constitutional right to being unionized.

“They have gone further on a mission of misinformation and propaganda to justify this illegitimacy rather than engaging meaningfully with us to right the wrong.

“Consequent to these, you are hereby directed to cut off gas supply to NGIC effective immediately. All crude oil supply valves to the Refinery should be shut. The loading operation for vessel headed there should be halted immediately,” the directive read.

The union further mandated the NGIC Chairman to ensure strict compliance with the order and told all branch chairmen to give regular updates on the action taken.


“NGIC Chairman, ensure that gas supply to the Refinery is cut off effective immediately. All chairmen on this summons are to report promptly the progress of the directive. Kindly accept the assurances of our highest esteem. Thank you,” the statement read.

Reaffirming its solidarity, PENGASSAN ended the directive with its slogan: “Injury to one! Injury to all!”

On Thursday, the company announced it would suspend petrol sales in naira from September 28 following the exhaustion of its crude-for-naira allocations.

Source: https://punchng.com/pengassan-stops-gas-crude-supply-to-dangote-refinery

Dangote, it's time to start dancing the dance

Even though the news is not correct and it's not possible to shut dangote down as pengasson does not have that power

But they will soon play drums for dangote. You wake up and sent people home without caring how you not only damage their lives but that of all their dependents

Both should settle their matter for the benefit of the country

This is becoming messy.

Dangote should tread carefully. These guys are ready to fight dirty than stay out of business.

We just need to grow out of this Aluta, scatter everywhere mentally, if things doesn't work out way. Government should please disband NUPENG and their sister union PENGASSAN. You cannot just force private business hands to do what and whatever in their business. If you want to dictate, start up your own refinery, then you can control your staff remotely how you want. This madness has to just stop

And you see Nigerians supporting this with comments like; Sack them, sack everyone, run the marketers out of business, you are the employer and can do and undo, etc. C'mon at least if you guys won't be affected many livelihoods will be. The oil and gas industry is the biggest employer of labour in this country. Only filling stations have employed thousands of youths.

NUPENG and PENGASSAN have their own faults but they shouldn't be victimized by Nigerians because they want to protect the welfare of employees.

The Dangote refinery should do the right thing by adhering to rules and regulations guiding the oil industry!

Hmmmm make I go buy fuel first.

How can a Union hold the whole country to hostage

Until the government starts to lock people up for economic sabotage people will not have sense

People are suffering no light no water no fuel to pump water and what does pengassan do, they to stop people from sleeping at night

Why? So they can keep their cushy jobs and be bribed every day to let fuel flow

Where was pengassan when Dangote was building refinery for 20bn USD

People have suffered enough

The government needs to start locking people up for economic sabotage this is totally unacceptable

These actions can trigger massive job losses, exchange rate depreciation and GDP loss

Again no Union should hold the whole country to hostage it is pure evil

People are suffering too much

Zionmdde:
Dangote, it's time to start dancing the dance

Even though the news is not correct and it's not possible to shut dangote down as pengasson does not have that power

But they will soon play drums for dangote. You wake up and sent people home without caring how you not only damage their lives but that of all their dependents

What about the lives of millions of Nigerians that depend on his refinery?

100 percent in support of dangote, PENGASSAN you can do your worst, Nigeria and greedy unproductive, unnecessary and unwanted union.

Too many unions for an economy that has aspirations to transform to a modern economy.

We are in 2025 for goodness sake, not 2005.

I just read in that write up about another union called NGIC which PENGASSAN has ordered to prevent supply of gas or something.

Which one is NGIC again

The Federal government and the National Assembly have to revisit tge laws on unions, and reduce their powers.

FOLYKAZE:
This is becoming messy.

Dangote should tread carefully. These guys are ready to fight dirty than stay out of business.

We just need to grow out of this Aluta, scatter everywhere mentally, if things doesn't work out way. Government should please disband NUPENG and their sister union PENGASSAN. You cannot just force private business hands to do what and whatever in their business. If you want to dictate, start up your own refinery, then you can control your staff remotely how you want. This madness has to just stop

They can't, this is not separatist group, they are trade unions recognised by the constitution......

Shame on the govt ...these people will do anything to make sure the import business continues ...

FOLYKAZE:
This is becoming messy.

Dangote should tread carefully. These guys are ready to fight dirty than stay out of business.

We just need to grow out of this Aluta, scatter everywhere mentally, if things doesn't work out way. Government should please disband NUPENG and their sister union PENGASSAN. You cannot just force private business hands to do what and whatever in their business. If you want to dictate, start up your own refinery, then you can control your staff remotely how you want. This madness has to just stop

The same govt instigating them should ban them ? You people are learners of the corrupt practices of this country

In every corner of the economy, there is a union controlling who can sell, when, and at what price.

A client of mine has been facing hell in the hands of a union because he refused to join a Pure Water Producers Association and sells his pure water at a lower price.

They block his factory, accost his lorry drivers in town, attack them etc.

That's despite the fact that the State's Deputy Commissioner of Police has had meetings with both parties and warned the Association that they do not have the right to force any person to join them.

I hear markets up and down the country have the same problem.

This is so backward.

One man business, the entire union and nonsensical agencies want to ensure it doesn't work so that they can run dirty businesses as usual.
If the think $20BN is small money, why didn't they build their own refineries ?

obayendo1010:
100 percent in support of dangote, PENGASSAN you can do your worst, Nigeria and greedy unproductive, unnecessary and unwanted union.

Odd thing is, this is an attack on Nigerians, and it will damage our economy no end.

But hey! We Nigerians don't mind if dollar becomes ₦5k.

So, go on PENGASSAN! Destroy the goose that lays our golden egg.

#NigeriansSupportDangote

Kaycee9242:
Hmmmm make I go buy fuel first.

Buy 1 million litres oo

Dangote is going to buy crude oil from outside Nigeria in dollars, refine it and sell to Nigerians in dollars and the mumu people fighting him will queue up to buy from him. Who is losing?

Don't ask Nairaland members for contact details (email, phone, bbpin) or investments

Pengassan should be immediately disbanded. Oh Abacha, where you useful be this.

Imagine private hospitals or private universities being made to join union. So that they too can be striking like Messi and Ronaldo. Who'll invest $25 billion into a business and gift control of the business to union to run it down like our government refineries?

He has monopoly in Cement industry. He must not be allowed to do same with PMS. This man will kill competition and cry foul.

If you don't know him, you'll pity him.

Cement is ₦10,000 FGS

He should bring 👇

The want to use PENGASSAN and NUPENG to get to Dangote.

While these two bodies never fought for our refineries to be functional so that Nigerians can have a life of ease o.

Very good move. Waiting to see the next move by Dangote .

adenigga:
They can't, this is not separatist group, they are trade unions recognised by the constitution......

Exactly.

Some people don't get what Dangote is trying to do

Get Monopoly, kill other players

In a notice to customers sent via email at 6:42 p.m. on Friday, the refinery said the suspension would take effect from Sunday, September 28, 2025, citing the depletion of its crude-for-naira allocation.

https://businessday.ng/energy/oilandgas/article/dangote-refinery-suspends-petrol-sales-in-naira-as-marketers-fear-price-hike/

This so called PENGASSAN and NUPENG are tolls in the hands of the Petroleum cartel in government.

The man is far ahead of them. I wonder what excuse they will have once they cut all avenues to supply him what he needs to run his company, then he buys from other countries, enriching them and fixing his prices as he likes. Nigerians Will still buy it at his prices. He knows what he is doing, he will swap his supply soon and it's them that will loose. They will look for where to sell their gas to. Cabals holding the country down too many. FG has to weigh in fast. Go to apapa/tincan/mile2 axis, those union and so called pangassan/nupeng agents sitting down , doing nothing than to collect money from each private tankers coming far to load and issue useless tickets. Nonsense.

DeLaRue:
Too many unions for an economy that has aspirations to transform to a modern economy.

We are in 2025 for goodness sake, not 2005.

I just read in that write up about another union called NGIC which PENGASSAN has ordered to prevent supply of gas or something.

Which one is NGIC again

The Federal government and the National Assembly have to revisit tge laws on unions, and reduce their powers.

Not wanting to sound rude or crude, but please you guys should learn to use Google before making posts on a public space like this so you don't sound like an ?

NGIC is not a union but rather a company. It's the Nigerian Gas Infrastructure Company.

adenigga:
They can't, this is not separatist group, they are trade unions recognised by the constitution......

When did PENGASAN or NUPENG ever fight for our refineries to be functional so that their fellow Nigerians can have a life of ease?! Lol .😁😁😁

Why now. May God help us win all Cabals in Nigeria.

Amen.

adenigga:
Source: https://punchng.com/pengassan-stops-gas-crude-supply-to-dangote-refinery

This war is getting stronger and stronger

Something needs to be done fast