PENGASSAN Members March To NNPC Towers To Protest Dangote Refinery Mass Sack
THECONSCIENCE NG reports that the Members of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) on Monday staged a protest at the headquarters of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) in Abuja. The demonstration was in reaction to the recent mass dismissal of workers at the Dangote Refinery.
Last week, the Dangote Refinery terminated the employment of several staff, citing repeated acts of sabotage that reportedly posed safety risks and disrupted operational efficiency. The company stated that the decision was necessary to safeguard the facility and ensure long-term stability, stressing that the action was not arbitrary.
However, the move has sparked outrage among labour unions. PENGASSAN condemned the dismissals, alleging that over 800 workers were sacked for joining the union — a move it described as a gross violation of Nigerian labour laws, the Constitution, and international labour standards under the ILO.
The union described the refinery’s action as a direct attack on Nigerian workers and accused the company of replacing the sacked staff with over 2,000 Indian nationals. PENGASSAN also alleged that Nigerian employees had been subjected to deplorable working conditions.
In a strongly worded statement, the association said:
“Dangote Refinery’s notoriety for enslaving Nigerian workers, and the eventual sack of all Nigerians working in the refinery — only to replace them with over 2,000 Indians — is a show of disloyalty to a country that has provided unprecedented incentives at the taxpayers’ expense.
These workers and their families are Nigerians who have been unfairly treated, and this sets a dangerous precedent that must be urgently addressed.”
Following this, PENGASSAN’s National Executive Council (NEC) directed all its members nationwide to commence an indefinite withdrawal of services from 00:01 a.m. on Monday, September 29, 2025.
“All processes involving gas and crude supply to the Dangote Refinery are to be halted immediately. All International Oil Company (IOC) branches must ramp down gas production and suspend supply to Dangote Refinery and its petrochemical operations,” the statement added.
“Our collective prayer is for courage from those in authority to ensure that Dangote and others are held accountable and compelled to respect the laws of our country.”
In response to the escalating tension, the Federal Government has appealed to PENGASSAN to suspend its planned industrial action. Authorities have invited both parties to a dispute resolution meeting aimed at de-escalating the crisis and finding a mutually agreeable solution.
