The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has suspended its nationwide strike following a meeting with the National Security Adviser and the management of Dangote Refinery.
The strike was called off after an agreement was reached between the parties involved.
PENGASSAN President, Festus Osifo, announced the suspension at a press conference in Abuja.
He explained that the decision followed a meeting with the National Security Adviser and the management of Dangote Refinery.
He stated that the suspension of the strike was done in good faith, despite lingering dissatisfaction with parts of the resolution.
Osifo admitted that “grey areas” remain in the communiqué, which both the government and refinery management could not fully clarify.
The dispute began when PENGASSAN accused Dangote Refinery of illegally sacking over 800 Nigerian workers and replacing them with foreign staff.
The union claimed that the refinery had breached labour laws and International Labour Organisation conventions.
According to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Mohammed Dingyadi, the Dangote Group agreed to reassign the disengaged workers to its subsidiaries without loss of pay.
Both parties agreed to the understanding in good faith.
However, PENGASSAN warned that it would resume the industrial action without notice if Dangote Refinery failed to honour the agreement.
Earlier, the National Industrial Court had issued an interim injunction against the strike, citing potential economic harm. The court fixed further hearings for October 13, 2025.
The suspension of the strike is expected to ease tensions between PENGASSAN and Dangote Refinery. However, the union’s warning suggests that the dispute may not be fully resolved.
