By: Chioma Madonna Ndukwu
Oil Workers’ Union Announces Nationwide Shutdown
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has ordered its members across the country to down tools, beginning Sunday, September 28, 2025.
The directive was contained in a circular issued after an emergency meeting of the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) on Saturday.
The notice, signed by General Secretary Lumumba Okugbawa, instructed members in field operations to withdraw their services from 6:00 a.m. on Sunday, while offices, companies, institutions, and agencies are expected to shut down from 12:01 a.m. on Monday, September 29.
The union further directed that all gas and crude oil supply to certain facilities be suspended immediately, stressing that International Oil Companies (IOCs) should reduce production tied to a major refinery and its petrochemical arm. It warned that no intervention would be allowed in field operations except where the safety of personnel and assets is at risk, and such clearance must come from the National Secretariat.
Behind the move, PENGASSAN accused Dangote Refinery of anti-labour practices. The union alleged that several Nigerian workers were dismissed for joining its ranks and then replaced with “over 2,000 Indians.” It described the development as a violation of Nigeria’s labour laws, the Constitution, and International Labour Organisation (ILO) standards.
To reinforce the action, the association announced 24-hour prayer vigils across all its branches, while appealing for urgent government intervention. It vowed that the strike would continue until the affected workers are recalled.
“An injury to one is an injury to all. No man is bigger than our country,” the circular read.
According to Africaworldnews, the latest dispute adds to a series of confrontations between Dangote Refinery and oil workers’ unions. Earlier this year, the refinery clashed with the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) over workers’ rights and safety concerns.
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