Economist and energy expert, Mr Kelvin Emmanuel, has warned that the actions of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) against the Dangote Petroleum Refinery pose a threat to national security.
Mr Emmanuel, the CEO of Dairy Hills, who appeared on Arise News Television on Saturday night, called on the Federal Government to intervene in the ongoing dispute between Dangote Refinery and PENGASSAN.
PENGASSAN had on Saturday directed its members in various branches to halt supply of gas and crude oil to Dangote Refinery. The decision followed alleged sack of over 800 Nigerian workers by the Dangote Refinery. While the union described the action as a violation of labour laws, the Nigerian constitution, international conventions on workers’ rights, the refinery said it was part of ongoing efforts to reorganise the company in response to repeated acts of sabotage at the facility.
The union directed all its members nationwide to down tools beginning from Monday, September 29 2025.
In response, Dangote Refinery’s management in a statement on Saturday, September 27 said PENGASSAN has no right to disrupt supply of gas and crude oil to the facility, adding that the action amounts to lawlessness, criminality and economic sabotage.
Earlier in the month, NUPENG also had a squabble with the Dangote Refinery over the company’s alleged aversion to its workers joining labour unions. NUPENG embarked on a nationwide strike that was called off after three days, following the intervention of the Federal Government through the Ministry of Labour.
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Condemning the action of the labour unions against the Dangote Refinery, Mr Emmanuel said the Trade Union Act and the Trade Dispute Act stipulate that energy supply constitutes essential services and the Federal Government reserves the right to intervene and ensure that essential services are not disrupted by union activities. ”In matters of essential services, the Federal Government reserves the right to intervene and supersede every other laid down process if there is going to be a disruption of essential services without recourse to a 15-day notice that should be given by any striking worker for picketing,” Emmanuel stated.
The energy expert stated that the labour unions did not follow laid down procedure in seeking redress as prescribed in section 4-6 of the Trade Dispute Act for picketing. The procedure, according to him includes writing to the minister of labour within seven days of disagreement; the minister will appoint a conciliator and if a resolution is not reached within 14 days, an industrial arbitration panel will be set up; if the disagreement is not resolved, the matter will be referred to an industrial court.
“It is after adjudication at national industrial court, that trade union will give another seven days notice of a warning strike, before it can lawfully embark on a strike action,” Emmanuel stated, adding that the labour unions (PENAGASSAN and NUPENG) did not follow the process.
He called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene, stressing that the Dangote Refinery is a strategic national asset that should not be allowed to be grounded by selfish interest of labour union leaders.
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He maintained that any threat to essential services like energy supply and security is a threat to Nigeria’s nations. He highlighted the positive contribution of the Dangote Refinery to Nigeria’s economy since it commenced operations last year.
He said Aliko Dangote staked his shares in Dangote Cement as collateral to secure loans invested in building the refinery and should be given a conducive environment to operate and raise funds to repay the loans.
He said the refinery’s management has a right to reorganise the company for efficiency and this includes the right to hire and disengage staff.
The expert further stated that the labour laws indicated that workers have freedom to join labour unions or not and should not be compelled to do so. He said: “the desperation by PENGASSAN and NUPGENG to have them join their union if they said they don’t want to join their union is fishy and shows clearly that PENGASSAN and NUPENG are proxies for the marketers who realized that the game is up and that the market is transiting to a new era of refining.”
National President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), Billy Gillis-Harry called for amicable resolution of the dispute. He said the labour unions are fighting to protect the rights of workers in the oil and gas sector and ensure their welfare.
“I do not think that NUPENG and PENGASSAN are overacting themselves. I believe they are acting in ways and means that should be able to protect the industry’s civil unions,” he stated.
Gillis-Harry reiterated his concerns that Dangote Refinery’s direct fuel distribution scheme would cause a disruption in the downstream petroleum market.
The PETROAN president assured that marketers are ready to collaborate with Dangote as critical stakeholders in the industry.
Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Engineer Gbenga Komolafe, called for an amicable resolution of the disagreement between the PENGASSAN and the Dangote Refinery.
Speaking on Arise News programme, Komolafe urged the parties to return to the negotiation table and avoid anything that could cause supply disruptions and bring untold hardship to Nigerians.
“Parties should refrain from what could cause disruption in energy supply because that would not be in the interest of the country,” he stated.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist, scholar and analyst of socioeconomic issues in Nigeria and Africa. He is skilled in energy reporting, business and economy, and holds a master's degree in mass communication.
