Yesterday, efforts to mediate the conflict involving the federal government, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), and Dangote Refinery were relocated from the Ministry of Labour and Employment to the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) in Abuja. This shift came after previous negotiations reached an impasse.
The move underscores the critical nature of the dispute, which poses a significant risk to the continuity of operations within Nigeria’s oil and gas industry. The NSA’s engagement aims to intensify the dialogue following unsuccessful attempts to settle the disagreement during extended talks at the labour ministry.
According to reports, PENGASSAN is demanding the reinstatement of approximately 800 refinery employees who were reportedly dismissed by Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals management. The union has labeled these actions as violations of workers’ rights and anti-labour conduct.
The union has further accused the refinery’s management of unjust termination practices, suppression of petroleum-marketers-claim-68-percent-national-supply-reject-dangote-capacity/” title=”… Marketers Assert They Supply 68% of Nation's Fuel, Challenge Dangote's Capacity Claims”>union activities, and blatant disregard for labour regulations.
In response to these grievances, PENGASSAN initiated a strike that has disrupted numerous operations across the petroleum supply chain. This industrial action compelled the federal government to step in, leading to a confidential meeting led by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi.
Despite prolonged discussions on Monday, no consensus was reached, prompting the escalation of the matter to the NSA’s office for further intervention.
The Dangote Group, however, maintains that its workforce decisions comply with legal standards and are essential for optimizing the refinery’s performance and long-term viability.
At the time of reporting, the NSA’s office has not yet disclosed the results of the latest round of talks.
