The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has declared a nationwide strike starting Monday, following the dismissal of some Nigerian workers by Dangote Refinery.
On Friday, the refinery announced the laying off of a small number of workers, citing sabotage, but PENGASSAN accused the 650,000-barrel-per-day capacity facility of sacking over 800 workers.
The union said the workers were unjustly dismissed to be replaced by more than 2,000 Indian workers.
In a statement on Saturday, PENGASSAN asked its members to withdraw gas and crude oil supply to the refinery and threatened to escalate action if the workers were not recalled.
In another statement issued on Sunday in Abuja, PENGASSAN General Secretary, Lumumba Okugbawa, said the directive to start a strike on Monday followed an emergency meeting of the union’s National Executive Council (NEC).
He described the Dangote Refinery’s action as a violation of Nigeria’s labour laws, the Constitution, and international conventions.
The NEC ordered members in field locations to stop work from 6 a.m. on Sunday, September 28, while those in offices, companies, institutions, and agencies are to withdraw services from 12:01 a.m. Monday, September 29.
The union also announced that all processes involving gas and crude supply to Dangote Refinery had been suspended immediately.
Impact on Power
The strike could have far-reaching consequences for Nigeria’s already fragile power sector. Gas suppliers have issued notices to halt supply to thermal power stations in line with the strike directive, raising fears of a total grid collapse.
The Executive Secretary of the Association of Power Generating Companies, Joy Ogaji, confirmed that only hydro power plants would remain operational, but stressed that they cannot sustain the country’s electricity demand.
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) is one of Nigeria’s most influential trade unions, representing senior employees and professionals across the oil, gas, and energy sectors.
Its members include engineers, supervisors, and managers in exploration, production, refining, distribution, and power generation companies.
Because Nigeria’s economy depends heavily on gas for electricity and oil for revenue, PENGASSAN wields significant power — its strikes can cut off gas supply to thermal power plants and disrupt fuel production, bringing industries, homes, and even government operations to a standstill.
