….NLC Places Unions On Red Alert
….FG mediates between Dangote, PENGASSAN over strike
Justice Emmanuel Subilim of the National Industrial Court Abuja, has restrained the Petroleum, Natural Gas Workers Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) from embarking on its planned industrial action against Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE.
Ruling on an ex parte application by Dangote Refinery, Justice Subilim restrained the defendants, which included Nigeria National Petroleum Company Ltd (NNPCL), Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum, and the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, from cutting crude and gas supply to Dangote Refinery.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, George Ibrahim, argued the application and secured the order against the defendants.
Ibrahim argued that the Applicant is a petroleum production and or distribution companies licensed to own, operate and produce petroleum and petrochemical products for the general consumption of the Nigerian public, and whose business provides essential services to the Nigerian economy and the general public.
He said that in recent times, there have been incidents of sabotage by some employees of the Claimant at the Claimant’s plant, which raised issues of grave health concern and safety of human lives.
According to him, the management of the Claimant came to an irresistible conclusion that there should be a reorganisation in the plant, which led to the relieving some of its staff of their employment and the same was communicated to all staff by a memo or circular dated 25th September, 2025.
The senior lawyer said that in the early hours of Friday, the 26th day of September 2025, the Claimant received an online report that the Nigerian Workers were laid off by the Claimant because they joined the 1st Defendant’s union.
According to him, the management of the Claimant by a press statement refuted the said report and explained in clear terms that the Claimant was not averse to its members unionizing as that is their constitutional right but however clarified that the Claimant has over 3,000 Nigerians in its workforce and that only a negligible number of staff were affected by the re-organisation of the plant as a result of sabotage and safety concerns.
The lawyer asserted that by a letter dated September 26, 2025 and circulated online, the 1st Defendant through its General Secretary, Comrade Lamumba Ighotemu Okugbawa wrote to the Minister of Petroleum, Gas and warned that the 1st Defendant and its members were going to take action that would force the Claimant to its knees if the Claimant fails to recall the affected staff which was described in the said letter as over 800.
In his brief ruling on ex parte application, Justice Subilim held that the balance of convenience is in favour of the Applicants as the continuation of the strike would irreparably damage its business and cripple the provision of essential services to the Nigerian public.
The Judge held that it was in the interest of justice for the Court to restrain the Respondents to preserve the industrial peace and further aid the continuous provision of essential services to the Nigerian public pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.
Justice Subilim, while granting the restraining order, directed that the same be served on the defendants immediately, along with a motion on notice.
The judge held that the restraining order shall last for seven days only.
NLC Places Unions On Red Alert Over PENGASSAN/Dangote Rift
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has placed its unions and members on red alert over the rift between the Dangote refinery and the Petroleum, Natural Gas Workers Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).
Reacting, in a statement, NLC President, Joe Ajaero, accused the refinery of violating Nigeria’s labour laws, the Constitution, and International Labour Organisation conventions by dismissing workers for joining the association.
He described the faceoff between PENGASSAN and the refinery as a “symptom of a deeper sickness; a capitalist pathology of union-busting, worker enslavement, and gross impunity that defines the Group’s industrial relations strategy.”
“The Dangote Group has operated for too long as a state within a state, flouting Section 40 of our Constitution, violating ILO Conventions 87 and 98, and treating our national labour laws with contempt. Their facilities are not workplaces but plantations of exploitation, where the dignity of the worker is systematically crushed to maximise profit for the few.
“The time for pleading and endless, fruitless dialogue is over. The moment for decisive, collective action is now.
“Consequently, we have resolved as follows: 1. Request for total mobilization of all Unions and workers. All aforementioned affiliate unions are hereby placed on IMMEDIATE AND FULL ALERT.
“You are requested to commence, with immediate effect, preparation for a vigorous and comprehensive unionisation of all workers within every Dangote Group facility falling under your jurisdiction. This is a strategic priority.
“To start full preparation for an engagement with Dangote across the nation. You are requested to immediately begin mobilising your members and resources for a full-scale, decisive engagement against the Dangote Group’s anti-labour stance. This action aims to compel the conglomerate to:
“Unconditionally respect the right of every worker to freely join a union of their choice. • Cease all forms of intimidation, victimisation, and union-busting activities. • Submit to the authority of our nation’s labour laws and institutions. Each union is to set up an Action Mobilisation Committee and liaise directly with the NLC National Secretariat within the next 72 hours to coordinate strategy, logistics, and communication. Unity of purpose and action is non-negotiable.
“The impunity of the Dangote Group must be met with the resistance of organised labour. No amount of media verbiage and paid hirelings will stop us from fighting for our liberty in the face of apparent Regulatory capture where the state seems to have abdicated its responsibility to hold this behemoth accountable for its breaches of our laws.
“The blood and sweat of Nigerian workers built this conglomerate; we will not let it become a monument to their oppression.”
FG begins mediation between Dangote, PENGASSAN over strike
The Federal government, through the Ministry of Labour and Employment, has commenced the reconciliation meeting, aimed to resolve the ongoing dispute among Dangote Refinery and Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENSASSAN).
The meeting which is chaired by Muhammad Dingyadi, minister of Labour and Employment, has leadership of PENGASSAN, Dangote Refinery, Minister of Finance, and key directors of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission and Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority in attendance.
In his remarks, Dingyadi said that the meeting was crucial to ensure that the dispute does not have adverse effect on the Nigerian population.
He also expressed shock that the Association’s strike was ongoing, leaving oil and gas institutions under lock.
He said, “This is the realisation of the fact that what is happening today is cherished to this country, very dear to our economy. We have been informed that PENGASSAN is on strike, and a very serious one for that matter, because I never knew that they have closed NNPC itself, and other subsidiaries of oil and gas industry.
“I don’t want to make any judgment, but we didn’t know that this is the magnitude of the strike.
We know that PENGASSAN are very peaceful, and we know for a very long time and we consider them as friends, and people who wish this country well. We also have the same feeling for the Dangote group, they have been contributing to the economy of this country, and they have been doing very well in terms of business relationship with the government of this country.
“So, we want to make sure that what is happening now is not extended negatively to the people of this country. So, that’s why we are taking urgent steps to ensure that we come in as people who are in the middle of this journey to see how we can resolve this issue.
“We want to resolve these issues amicably, for the good of everybody, for the good of our economy, for the good of the security of our nation, and for the good of our workers, and for the good of our employers as well.”
The strike action which commenced on Monday, affected activities in some oil and gas institutions, including the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.
Staff of these institutions who confirmed the development said they were denied access into their offices upon resumption.
He subsequently fixed October 13 for the hearing of the motion on notice.
