The crisis at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery intensified on Sunday as the Forum of Concerned Nigerian Consumers urged the Federal Government and the Department of State Services to intervene in the ongoing dispute between the company and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).
At a press briefing in Abuja, the Forum accused the union of politicising the energy sector following its threat to picket the $20 billion refinery over alleged mass sackings. The group warned that the move could worsen fuel supply challenges and destabilise the economy.
The Dangote Refinery, described as the world’s largest single-train plant with a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, currently employs more than 3,000 Nigerians. Management has said recent internal restructuring was aimed at addressing “acts of sabotage” and not anti-labour practices.
PENGASSAN, however, alleged in a circular signed by its General Secretary, Lumumba Okugbawa, that the company dismissed about 800 workers for joining the union. The circular directed members nationwide to withdraw their services and begin a total shutdown across offices, institutions, and companies starting Monday.
The Forum criticised the union’s decision, citing a subsisting court order restraining industrial action. It argued that a shutdown of the refinery would primarily benefit fuel importers rather than the wider public.
The dispute highlights ongoing tensions within Nigeria’s energy sector, where labour unions and operators often clash over reforms, restructuring, and workers’ rights. The Ministries of Labour, Petroleum Resources, and Justice have been urged to step in to prevent further disruption.
