The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has declared an indefinite nationwide strike, directing its members to down tools following the alleged mass dismissal of Nigerian workers by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
The decision was taken during an emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held on Saturday, September 27, 2025. A circular signed by the union’s General Secretary, Lumumba Okugbawa, ordered an immediate withdrawal of services beginning Sunday, September 28.
PENGASSAN accused the refinery management of breaching Nigeria’s labour laws, the Constitution, and International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions by sacking workers for joining the union. The association alleged that the dismissed employees were replaced with over 2,000 foreign nationals, mostly Indians — a move it described as “an affront to Nigerian workers.”
“This brazen act of union suppression cannot stand. It violates the fundamental rights of workers and threatens the dignity of the Nigerian workforce,” the circular stated.
The union directed all members in field locations to withdraw services from 6:00 a.m. on Sunday. A total shutdown across all offices, companies, institutions, and agencies is expected to commence from 12:01 a.m. on Monday, September 29.
According to the directive, the industrial action covers control room operations, panel operators, and outfield personnel. All international oil company (IOC) branches were also instructed to ramp down gas production and suspend supply to the Dangote Refinery and its petrochemical units.
“No interventions will be entertained during this action except for safety-related issues, which must be cleared by the National Secretariat,” PENGASSAN emphasized.
The union also announced 24-hour nationwide prayer vigils as part of the protest and called on the federal government to urgently step in to resolve the impasse. It vowed to sustain the industrial action until all affected workers are reinstated and labour rights fully respected.
“An injury to one is an injury to all. No man is bigger than our country,” the statement concluded.
Saturday’s announcement marks a new escalation in the ongoing tensions between Dangote Refinery and Nigeria’s oil sector unions. In recent months, the facility has also faced criticism from the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) over labour rights, unionization, and workplace safety concerns.
The nationwide shutdown could disrupt operations across the petroleum value chain if the standoff persists, potentially affecting gas supply and downstream activities tied to the massive refinery.