The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, has ordered its members nationwide to withdraw their services after the alleged mass dismissal of more than 800 Nigerian workers by Dangote Refinery. The union recently accused the refinery of going against Nigeria’s labour laws, the Constitution, and International Labour Organisation conventions by sacking workers for joining the association.
In a circular issued after an emergency National Executive Council meeting and signed by General Secretary Lumumba Okugbawa, the NEC alleged that the refinery has replaced the dismissed staff with “more than 2,000 Indians,” describing the decision as “an affront to all workers in Nigeria.”
Responding, PENGASSAN directed members in field locations to down tools from Sunday, and ordered a complete nationwide shutdown across offices, companies, institutions, and agencies from Monday.
“All PENGASSAN members working across field locations are to withdraw services effective 06:00hrs on Sunday, 28 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 processes that involve gas and crude supply to Dangote Refinery should be let off effectively immediately.
All IOC branches must ramp down gas production and supply to Dangote Refinery and petrochemicals,” it read.
The NEC further announced 24-hour prayer vigils and called for government intervention, insisting that the strike will not end until the sacked workers are reinstated.
The National Executive Council concluded by saying that Aliko Dangote cannot keep acting like he is bigger than Nigeria.
“An injury to one is an injury to all. No man is bigger than our country,” the circular added.
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