PENGASSAN Strike Halts Dangote Refinery, Shuts Down NNPC, NUPRC, and NMDPRA Operations in Nigeria
Major oil institutions in Nigeria, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), have been shut down following a strike initiated by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) on Monday.
Background to the Strike
The disruption follows reports on Sunday that the Dangote Petroleum Refinery’s gas and crude supplies had been halted by PENGASSAN in protest against the recent dismissal of union employees.
The union alleges that foreign workers—primarily from India—have displaced Nigerian employees at the $20 billion refinery.
This is not the refinery’s first dispute with union workers. A few weeks ago, the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG) threatened industrial action over similar concerns, accusing the refinery of operating outside union jurisdiction.
PENGASSAN stated that its current strike is based on what it describes as “misinformation and propaganda” regarding the refinery’s recent layoffs. On Friday, multiple reports revealed that Dangote Refinery had terminated 3,000 indigenous workers.
In response, the refinery management explained that the layoffs were part of a broader restructuring plan aimed at safeguarding operations in the wake of “recent cases of sabotage” affecting several units of the facility.
In a statement dated September 26, refinery management said:
“We remain vigilant to our internal systems and vulnerabilities to ensure the long-term stability of this strategic national asset. It is imperative to protect the refinery for the benefit of Nigerians, our partners across Africa, and the thousands of people whose livelihoods depend on it.”
The company further clarified that only a small portion of its workforce was affected by the restructuring, stressing that thousands of Nigerians continue to be actively employed at the refinery.
However, PENGASSAN maintains that the wrongful dismissal of unionized employees has not been adequately addressed.
PENGASSAN’s strike marks the first major disruption at Dangote Refinery since operations began earlier this year. The union has reported that the refinery is now “100 percent shut down,” with the fertilizer plant’s second train halted and the first train operating at just 60 percent capacity.
In addition, union members assigned to various field areas have been instructed to hold a 24-hour prayer vigil starting at 6:00 a.m. daily.
The strike has brought activities at major oil agencies to a standstill. According to Punch newspaper, employees at NUPRC were stranded outside the organization’s headquarters in Abuja as no access was granted in line with the union’s directive. Security personnel confirmed that entry was prohibited.
Similarly, operations at NMDPRA offices in Abuja’s Central Business District have been completely suspended. PENGASSAN’s Chairman in NMDPRA, Tony Iziogba, confirmed to The Punch that the strike achieved “100 percent compliance,” restricting access for both workers and visitors.
At the NNPC and other key agencies, union members also enforced full compliance with the strike directive.
