Vice President Kashim Shettima has cautioned the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) against any action that could disrupt operations at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, describing the $20 billion facility as a strategic national asset vital to Nigeria’s economic recovery.
Gatekeepers News reports that speaking at the 31st Nigerian Economic Summit (NES) in Abuja, Shettima—who represented President Bola Tinubu—praised Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, for his commitment to investing in Nigeria despite global opportunities to grow his wealth abroad.
“Aliko Dangote is not an individual; he is an institution, a leading light in Nigeria. And how we treat this gentleman will determine how outsiders will judge us,” Shettima said.
The Vice President noted that Dangote could have chosen to invest in multinational technology giants such as Microsoft, Amazon, or Google, which might have multiplied his wealth many times over. Instead, he said, Dangote chose to invest over $10 billion in Nigeria’s industrial and energy future.
“If he had invested $10 billion in Microsoft, Amazon, or Google, he probably might be worth $70 to $80 billion by now. But he opted to invest in his country, and we owe it to future generations to jealously protect, promote, preserve, and project the interests of this great Nigerian,” he added.
VP Urges Labour to Exercise Restraint
Shettima appealed to labour unions and the organised private sector to act with caution and patriotism, stressing that industrial harmony was key to sustaining investor confidence and national stability.
“It’s not about holding the whole nation to ransom because of a minor labour dispute. Nigeria is greater than PENGASSAN. Nigeria is greater than each and every one of us,” he said.
He disclosed that the Federal Government had directed the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) to take a deeper interest in resolving the ongoing issues between PENGASSAN and the Dangote Refinery. The government, he said, expects “far-reaching recommendations” from the summit to protect the refinery’s operations and safeguard the broader industrial environment.
“This is a refinery financed through a combination of equity investment, debt finance, and loans from both local and foreign banks. The refinery has to function to salvage the debt, and we cannot hold the whole nation to ransom for issues that can be amicably settled across the table,” Shettima stated.
He reiterated the administration’s commitment to protecting major industries, assuring that the government would continue to take steps to sustain industrial peace and economic growth.
“The government will continue to take steps to protect big industry and ensure industrial harmony for the good of the nation,” he said.
Background
PENGASSAN had last week suspended its nationwide strike against the Dangote Refinery after the Federal Government’s intervention.
However, the union warned that the suspension was temporary and that industrial action would resume without notice if the refinery failed to honour its commitments.
PENGASSAN President, Festus Osifo, announced the decision in Abuja after marathon negotiations involving government officials, union representatives, and the refinery’s management.
Commissioned in 2023, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery—with an installed capacity of 650,000 barrels per day—has faced recurring disputes with oil sector unions over labour and operational issues.
