The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has declared a nationwide strike in protest of what it described as the unjust dismissal of hundreds of Nigerian workers at the Dangote Refinery. The union said the management of the refinery had terminated the employment of over 800 Nigerians and replaced them with more than 2,000 expatriates, mostly from India.
In a circular signed by General Secretary Lumumba Okugbawa, PENGASSAN directed all its members nationwide to down tools beginning Sunday, September 28. The union said the strike would involve a total shutdown of operations, including halting the supply of crude oil and gas to Dangote Refinery. Members were instructed to report to their offices for the purpose of formally withdrawing their services and ensuring compliance with the directive.
The decision followed an emergency meeting of the association’s National Executive Council (NEC), where union leaders accused Dangote of violating Nigerian labor laws, the constitution, and international conventions on local content and fair labor practices. PENGASSAN insisted that it would not stand by while Nigerians were sidelined in their own country’s flagship refinery project.
Dangote Refinery has denied the allegations, saying the restructuring of its workforce was part of a routine internal reorganization designed to improve efficiency and safety. The company maintained that Nigerians still make up the majority of its staff and accused the union of spreading misinformation.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has stepped in to mediate. The Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, summoned both PENGASSAN and Dangote management to a conciliatory meeting in Abuja. He appealed to both sides to exercise restraint, warning that prolonged disruption in the petroleum sector could destabilize the economy and cause fuel shortages nationwide.
