The feud between Dangote refinery and many other key players in the downstream petroleum sector deepened on Saturday as an oil union, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), asked its members to disrupt activities at the refinery by blocking gas supply to it.
Gas is a major fuel that powers some of the equipment at the refinery. PENGASSAN, in a letter to some of its members on Saturday, asked them to stop such gas from getting to the refinery.
The association said its decision comes in response to the refinery’s management disengaging union members and allegedly spreading misinformation to justify their actions.
“All crude oil supply valves to the Refinery should be shut. The loading operation for vessels headed there should be halted immediately. NGIC Chairman, ensure that gas supply to the Refinery is cut off effective immediately. All chairmen on this summon are to report promptly the progress of the directive,” the letter reads.
Dangore Responds
In a swift response, Dangote refinery in a statement by its management described the order as illegal and cautioned PENGASSAN to obey Nigerian laws in its operations, noting that PENGASSAN has no legal right to disrupt or interfere with the refinery’s contracts with third-party vendors for gas and crude oil supply.
The refinery said the association’s directive amounts to economic sabotage at multiple levels, citing the potential disruption of petroleum product supply, including aviation fuel, petrol, diesel, kerosene, and cooking gas.
“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.
“Besides, it constitutes a criminal conduct for PENGASSAN or its members to disrupt and/or interfere whatsoever in the contract between Dangote Refinery and its various vendors for the supply of gas and crude oil to the Refinery.
“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,” the statement said.
It said apart from the lawlessness and criminality inherent in the PENGASSAN instruction to its branches, the association’s directive amounts to economic sabotage at multiple levels.
“In plain language, PENGASSAN has directed its branches to disrupt and stop the supply of petroleum products from the Dangote Refinery to Nigerians.”
It explained that the products that would be disrupted and stopped include aviation fuel, kerosene, diesel and cooking gas – all essential products for millions of Nigerians.
“In what circumstance would it be justified for PENGASSAN to so disrupt and introduce insufferable hardship into the living conditions of Nigerians? None that we can see. In whose interest and on whose behalf is PENGASSAN directing and intending to inflict such anarchic and criminal disruption upon the Nigerian society and persons living in Nigeria? Most certainly, not in the interest of the Nigerian state and/or the Nigerian public and citizens.
“This is also economic sabotage against the Nigerian State at multiple levels,” the refinery said.
The Dangote refinery called on the federal government and its security agencies to intervene and call PENGASSAN to order, urging that PENGASSAN’s actions are not only lawless but also have the potential to inflict significant harm on the Nigerian economy and citizens.
“We are, by this write-up, drawing the attention of the Federal Government and its security and law enforcement agencies-as well as all other levels of governments in Nigeria to this criminal, lawless, reckless and irresponsible conduct of PENGASSAN and calling on them the federal government and its agencies, in particular to call the association to order,” it said
It noted that PENGASSAN has no right to introduce anarchy and mayhem into the society.
“The association is not above the law, and it must not be allowed to believe that it is or behave as if it is. We are also calling on all Nigerians to take note of the unquantifiable and irredeemable hardship which PENGASSAN wishes to inflict on all of us. There is no Nigerian household that does not use or need the petroleum products which PENGASSAN has now directed its branches, by fiat, to withdraw from the Nigerian market again, we list some of them: petrol, cooking gas, diesel, kerosene and aviation fuel,” it added.
It further noted the production and supply of these products by the refinery would cease if PENGASSAN is allowed or permitted to enforce its lawless and criminal “directive.” adding that the association must not be allowed to ride roughshod on Nigerians.
“The repercussions from the PENGASSAN directive would affect and inflict harm on all Nigerians This is therefore a fight for all Nigerians. We all must encourage and nudge PENGASSAN to live up to the commitment in its Press release of 26 September 2025, to wit, “take all necessary legal actions”-not illicit and criminal actions-to challenge the Dangote Refinery acts that it purports has led to its “directive.” it said.
The sack
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery had terminated the appointments of some of its workers, citing repeated acts of sabotage that have raised significant safety concerns and affected operational efficiency.
The company emphasised that the decision is not arbitrary but a necessary measure to protect the facility and ensure its long-term stability.
A letter signed by the Chief General Manager, Human Asset Management at Dangote Group, Femi Adekunle, and sent to its staff members informed affected staff members that their services are no longer required, effective 25 September.
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Confirming the development in a statement signed by its management on Friday, the company said “This exercise is not arbitrary. It has become necessary to safeguard the refinery from repeated acts of sabotage that have raised safety concerns and affected operational efficiency.”
Following the sack, PENGASSAN in a statement on Friday alleged that the sack of the workers was unjust and violated the Labour Act.
The association accused the refinery’s management of discriminating against Nigerian workers in favor of foreign labor.
“PENGASSAN therefore urged the management of the Dangote Refinery to recall all terminated Nigerian workers. Failure to comply will leave us with no option but to commence exploring all sections of the Nigerian Constitution and the relevant labour laws.
“We stand resolute in our commitment to uphold the rights of Nigerian workers and will take all necessary legal actions open to us as an Association to ensure that they are afforded the dignity and respect they deserve,” the statement said.
