Sanni Marvelous
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has directed its members to halt gas supply to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery with immediate effect.
The directive followed what the union described as the disengagement of its members for exercising their constitutional right to unionize.
In a circular dated September 26, 2025, and signed by its General Secretary, Comrade Lumumba Ighotemu Okugbawa, the union instructed branch chairmen of oil and gas companies to enforce the shutdown without delay. The affected companies include TotalEnergies, Seplat Producing Nigeria, Renaissance, Chevron, Oando, Shell Nigeria Gas, and NGIC.
The letter, titled “Directive to Stop Gas Supply to Dangote Petroleum Refinery,” stated: “As you are aware, the Management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery has disengaged our members in reaction to the exercise of their constitutional right to being unionized. They have gone further on a mission of misinformation and propaganda to justify this illegitimacy rather than engaging meaningfully with us to right the wrong.”
Consequently, PENGASSAN ordered that “all crude oil supply valves to the Refinery should be shut. The loading operation for vessel headed there should be halted immediately.” It further instructed the NGIC Chairman to ensure that “gas supply to the Refinery is cut off effective immediately.”
The union told its members to report promptly on the progress of the directive. It concluded the statement with its traditional slogan: “Injury to one! Injury to all!!”
PENGASSAN, which is an affiliate of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), represents senior staff in the nation’s oil and gas sector.
The dispute with Dangote Refinery adds to existing tensions in the industry over workers’ rights and union recognition, potentially disrupting operations at Africa’s largest refinery.
