The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has condemned plan by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) to halt crude supply to the refinery.
The management of the refinery in a statement on Saturday, described the planned action as a “brazen, albeit shocking, display of lawlessness and criminality” by PENGASSAN.
PENGASSAN had accused the refinery management of disengaging unionized workers and embarking on a “mission of misinformation and propaganda” instead of engaging meaningfully with the union.
The refinery, however, claimed that the workers were fired for acts of sabotage.
The Dangote Refinery condemned PENGASSAN’s directive, calling it a “brazen display of lawlessness and criminality”.
The refinery argued that PENGASSAN has no right to disrupt or interfere with its contracts with third-party vendors for gas and crude oil supplies.
According to the refinery, the supply contracts were entered into with third-party vendors and suppliers, and PENGASSAN has no authority to disrupt or interfere with the performance of those contracts.
It said that the union lacked the right to direct its branches to “cut off” gas and crude oil supplies to the refinery.
It reads inter alia: “This is a brazen, albeit shocking, display of lawlessness and criminality by PENGASSAN.
”Absolutely no law gives PENGASSAN the right to direct its branches to “cut off” gas and crude oil supplies to Dangote Refinery or at all.
“There is also no law in our statute books that would support or enable the PENGASSAN branches having to ‘cut off’ gas and crude oil supplies to Dangote Refinery or at all, ” the statement said.
According to the refinery, it constitutes criminal conduct for PENGASSAN or its members to disrupt and/or interfere with the contract between Dangote Refinery and its various vendors for the supply of gas and crude oil to the company.
“Those supply contracts were not entered into with PENGASSAN; they were entered into by Dangote Refinery with third party vendors and suppliers and PENGASSAN has no right whatsoever to disrupt and/or interfere with the performance of those contracts.
“Perhaps, PENGASSAN needs to be reminded that Nigeria is a country governed by laws.
”Our laws do not brook self-help and mob action that could introduce mayhem and chaos and easily translate into anarchy.
“Indeed, this is a complete disavowal of PENGASSAN’s press release of the same 26 September 2025, which claimed that the association “will take all necessary legal actions” to challenge the Dangote Refinery actions that it purports have led to its illicit and criminal “directive”.
“It is instructive that no sooner had the Association issued the Press Release than it abandoned the path of lawfulness and embraced criminal conduct and the path that leads to mayhem and anarchy by issuing the directive aforementioned.”
The refinery claimed that PENGASSAN’s directive amounts to economic sabotage, which could disrupt the supply of essential petroleum products like aviation fuel, petrol, kerosene, diesel, and cooking gas.
This, in turn, would harm the Nigerian economy and its people.
The refinery also stated that the union’s planned action was also economic sabotage against the Nigerian state at multiple levels, as the refinery is one of the largest contributors to the revenue purse of the Nigerian governments.
The refinery is calling on the Federal Government and its security agencies to intervene and “call PENGASSAN to order”.
The refinery warned that if the PENGASSAN directive is implemented, it would lead to a cessation of production and supply of essential petroleum products, which would have far-reaching consequences for the Nigerian economy and its people.
If the shutdown is enforced, it could lead to fuel supply disruptions, economic consequences, and market volatility.
The refinery’s contribution to the revenue purse of the Nigerian governments would also be paused, which would have significant implications for the country’s economy.
PENGASSAN had directed its members to halt gas supply to Dangote Petroleum Refinery with immediate effect.
The directive also included shutting all crude oil supply valves to the refinery and halting all loading operations for vessels headed there.
The situation is complex, with both parties presenting different narratives.
The outcome will depend on government intervention and potential legal actions.
