Members of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association (PENGASSAN) on Monday shut down key oil and gas institutions in Abuja as they commenced a nationwide strike over the alleged illegal dismissal of Nigerian workers by the Dangote refinery.

At the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) headquarters, protesters barricaded the gates, chanting solidarity songs while vowing to sustain the action. Similar scenes played out at the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), where union members blocked access to the premises.

The action follows a circular issued after an emergency National Executive Council meeting on Saturday, 27 September, and signed by PENGASSAN’s General Secretary, Lumumba Okugbawa. The union accused the refinery of “violating Nigeria’s labour laws, the Constitution, and International Labour Organisation conventions” by dismissing over 800 Nigerian workers for joining the association.

It further alleged that the sacked workers were replaced with “over 2,000 Indians,” describing the move as “an affront to all workers in Nigeria.”

“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,” the circular stated.

“All PENGASSAN members across all offices, companies, institutions, and agencies should withdraw all services effective 00:01 on Monday, 29th of September, 2025,” it added.

However, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, in a statement last week, defended its decision, saying the reorganisation was necessary to “prevent intermittent cases of sabotage.” It rejected claims that the exercise was arbitrary, insisting it was carried out to address safety concerns and improve operational efficiency.

Faridah Abdulkadiri

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