Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has declared an immediate nationwide strike in reaction to the dismissal of some staff by Dangote refinery.
Gatekeepers News reports that in a statement issued on Saturday, Lumumba Okugbawa, general secretary of PENGASSAN, directed members across all field locations to stop work from 6 am on Sunday. It also instructed that all activities relating to gas and crude oil supply to Dangote refinery be suspended.
The statement reads, “All PENGASSAN members working across field locations are to withdraw services effective 06:00hrs on Sunday, 28 of September, 2025 and commence 24-hour prayers. This includes all control room operations, panel operations, and outfield personnel.”
“All PENGASSAN members across all offices, companies, institutions, and agencies should withdraw all services effective 00:01 on Monday, 29th of September, 2025.”
“No intervention whatsoever will be entertained across field locations except where the safety of personnel and assets is at risk; such clearance must be obtained from the National Secretariat.”
“All IOC branches must ramp down gas production and supply to Dangote Refinery and petrochemicals.”
“The prayer point should include a call to God Almighty to give courage to those in authority to rein in Dangote and his co-travelers on the need to obey the laws of our country.”
On Friday, the union had accused the refinery of dismissing over 800 employees, while assuring that it was making efforts to resolve the situation.
In its response, Dangote refinery confirmed letting some workers go. It however said that only a small number were affected as part of a reorganisation, and accused PENGASSAN of seeking to sabotage Nigeria’s energy supply chain with its directive to halt crude oil and gas supplies.
