BREAKING: PENGASSAN suspends nationwide strike

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has temporarily suspended its nationwide strike against the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, following a series of marathon negotiations brokered by the Federal Government.

PENGASSAN President, Festus Osifo, confirmed the decision on Wednesday in Abuja, revealing that discussions with government officials and representatives of the refinery stretched into the early hours before a truce was reached.

The strike, which commenced on Sunday, was in protest against alleged anti-union practices at the refinery. The industrial action disrupted key oil and gas operations across the country, raising concerns over potential fuel supply shortages.

He announced this at a press conference on Wednesday in Abuja.

The strike, which commenced on Sunday over alleged anti-union practices at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, was called off after marathon negotiations brokered by the Federal Government stretched into the early hours of Wednesday.

The union president said the decision followed intense intervention by the Federal Government that paved the way for the truce.

Osifo said the union was taking the “moral high ground” by bowing to government persuasion despite strong doubts about the sincerity of the Dangote Group.

Osifo stated, “We are only suspending, not calling off this strike.”

“If any part of this agreement is broken, we will not give any warning. We will immediately resume our suspended industrial action.”

He stressed that the industrial action was rooted in the fundamental right of workers to freedom of association, insisting that members joined the union “to secure better welfare and fair pay.”

According to him, PENGASSAN remains unsatisfied with aspects of the communique signed under the supervision of the Ministry of Labour, warning that the union’s patience should not be mistaken for weakness.

Osifo said, “Yes, we understand that Dangote does not respect the rules of engagement. Yes, we understand that Dangote wants to prove that he is always bigger than the rules and above the law. Yes, we understand that today, we still have some members working within the confines of the refinery.

“Yes, today, we still have some members working in some companies within the group. Yes, we know or we believe or we suspect that some of the things that the government has asked Dangote to do, that he’s going to slip in it and won’t do them just as he did it to NUPENG. We have our suspicion.

“We truly don’t believe that he will keep to his own side of the bargain. We truly don’t believe that he will live up to expectations. We don’t believe. But because we have respect for institutions, because we have respect for government, because we have respect for processes, and because we have respect for procedures and because of those in government who sat up till almost 4 a.m. this morning to try and resolve this subject, the NEC has decided to listen to them. Even with our mutual suspicion that Dangote will not do what is right, even with our misgivings that the document did not clearly represent what we have asked for.

“But even with the shortcomings in the document, the National Executive Council of PENGGASAN has decided that they will go ahead to take the moral high ground, that we will go ahead to prove to the government that we are extremely patriotic people, that love this country more than any single individual, that we will go ahead to suspend the industrial action that we started on Sunday, 28th day of September 2025.”

He emphasised that the dispute was about the fundamental right of workers to freedom of association and fair pay.

“Remember, we are only suspending and we didn’t call off. We will be monitoring and following closely on any slip on the part of Dangote. If any part of this agreement, or any part of this communique as put up by the Ministry of Labour, is broken, we will not give any notice, we will not give any warning, and we will resume the suspended industrial action immediately.

“We have only suspended the industrial action in respect of the government of the land. As an institution, are we completely happy with what was provided? The answer for us is no,” he added.

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery, commissioned in 2023 with a touted capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, has faced recurring disputes with oil sector unions.

Its sister union, NUPENG, also accused the conglomerate of anti-union practices.

(Punch)