PENGASSAN Ends Strike at Dangote Refinery After Government Intervention

PENGASSAN has ended its two-day strike at Dangote refinery after a government-mediated agreement to reassign affected staff without pay loss. The union had protested the firing of 800 workers, which Dangote said was part of a reorganization.

Nigeria’s government announced on Wednesday that one of the country’s largest oil workers’ unions has officially ended its two-day strike against the Dangote refinery, bringing a temporary halt to industrial action that had threatened operations at Africa’s largest refinery.

The resolution came after a high-level meeting between the management of Dangote Petroleum and government officials, according to the Nigerian Labor Ministry. The talks focused on addressing the grievances raised by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and finding a way to resolve the standoff without further disruptions to the country’s energy supply.

In a statement shared on X, the Labor Ministry confirmed that PENGASSAN had “agreed to start the process of calling off its strike… while Dangote begins the process of transferring the disengaged staff to other companies within the Dangote Group, ensuring there is no loss of pay.” The ministry described the agreement as a constructive step toward maintaining industrial harmony and protecting workers’ rights while safeguarding operations at the refinery.

The conflict between PENGASSAN and Dangote began last week when the union alleged that the company had dismissed 800 unionized employees and replaced them with 2,000 Indian workers. This accusation drew national attention, raising concerns about labor practices and employment policies at one of Africa’s most significant industrial facilities.

Dangote’s refinery, located in Lagos State, has a crude processing capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, making it the largest refinery on the continent. Its operations are critical to Nigeria’s fuel supply and broader economic stability, and any disruption has implications for energy prices and availability across the country.

Last Friday, PENGASSAN publicly stated that the affected workers were dismissed for participating in union activities, highlighting tensions over labor representation and workers’ rights. Dangote, however, denied these claims, insisting that the dismissals were part of an internal staff reorganization and alleging that some of the employees had been involved in acts of sabotage that could have compromised refinery operations.

The current strike is part of a broader pattern of industrial action at Dangote. In September, a separate two-day strike was carried out by a fuel tanker drivers’ union after they accused the company of hiring new drivers on the condition that they refrain from joining a union. Dangote denied these allegations as well, emphasizing its commitment to fair employment practices and operational safety.

With the agreement reached on Wednesday, PENGASSAN members have begun the process of returning to work, while Dangote starts relocating affected staff within the group. The government and union leaders expressed hope that the resolution would serve as a model for addressing future labor disputes in Nigeria’s critical energy sector, balancing both workers’ rights and the nation’s economic needs.