September 28, (THEWILL) — The management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery has condemned the strike declared by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), describing it as “terror tactics” designed to hold Nigerians to ransom.
PENGASSAN on Sunday announced an indefinite nationwide strike, directing members across offices, companies, institutions, and agencies to down tools from 12:01 a.m. Monday, September 29, 2025.
The union said the action was in protest against the alleged termination of 800 workers at the refinery who were members of the association.
Dangote, in a statement on Sunday, rejected the allegations as false and accused the union of incitement, sabotage, and deliberate distortion of facts. It maintained that no mass sack had occurred, stressing that over 3,000 Nigerians remain employed at the facility.
“The threatened action by PENGASSAN against Dangote Refinery threatens the economic recovery and energy security of Nigeria. Such guerrilla tactics amount to terrorism and cannot be justified,” the company said in a statement titled ‘Lawless PENGASSAN: Its Lies and Terror Tactics.’
The company warned that cutting off supplies of petrol, diesel, kerosene, cooking gas, and aviation fuel would endanger millions of lives, including patients dependent on life-support systems in hospitals.
Accusing PENGASSAN of a “history of sabotage,” Dangote cited the union’s past opposition to the sale of federal refineries in 2007 and to recent reforms in the petroleum sector.
It also challenged PENGASSAN and its ally, NUPENG, to publish their audited accounts for the past 10 years within a week or “bury their heads in shame.”
“Assuming there are workers aggrieved over employment matters, they have contractual remedies available to them. PENGASSAN should not be allowed to incite chaos or interpose itself between employees and the company,” it added.
The refinery called on the Federal Government and security agencies to provide adequate protection for oil and gas facilities, installations, and workers, insisting that the strike must not be allowed to cripple the economy.
“Dangote Refinery is a national asset that must be protected. PENGASSAN’s terrorist tactics must be resisted by the Nigerian people,” the statement concluded.
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