Nigeria’s oil workers have ordered a halt to gas supply at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, escalating tensions after mass dismissals.
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) instructed branches across major oil firms to immediately stop crude and gas deliveries.
Union leaders accused Dangote management of spreading “misinformation and propaganda” rather than addressing the alleged wrongful termination of unionised employees.
“Crude oil supply valves to the refinery should be shut. Loading for vessels should be halted immediately,” PENGASSAN General Secretary Lumumba Okugbawa directed.
The order follows the dismissal of hundreds of Nigerian staff, reportedly replaced with foreign nationals, mostly from India, according to union sources.
Dangote Refinery described the layoffs as part of a reorganisation aimed at improving safety and operational efficiency, declining immediate comment on the union letter.
The dispute intensifies pressure on the $20 billion refinery, which recently announced it would suspend petrol sales in naira starting September 28.
Officials cited crude supply shortfalls and foreign exchange issues, sparking fears of rising fuel prices and further strain on Nigeria’s fragile currency.
PENGASSAN demanded union chapter leaders at oil companies report promptly on the directive, signalling a coordinated action that could disrupt nationwide fuel distribution.
The conflict highlights deepening tensions between labour and management in Africa’s largest economy, as energy security and workers’ rights clash under high economic stakes.
