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The nationwide strike by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) on Monday, September 29, 2025, grounded the activities of Ministry of Petroleum Resources.
It also paralised activities in the oil and gas agencies and parastatals under it.
Checks in Abuja revealed that staff of the ministry and its agencies were locked out of their offices by the striking union staff.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NMDPRA) had their main entrance gate locked and barricaded by PENGASSAN members.
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) were also under lock and key.
PENGASSAN embarked on strike to protest over the sack of about 800 workers in the Dangote Refinery who allegedly belong to the association.
The union also accused management of the refinery of anti-labour practices and discrimination against local employees, prompting the Federal Government’s intervention.
The refinery had said that the termination of the appointments of some of its workers was due to repeated acts of sabotage that had raised significant safety concerns and affected operational efficiency.
In view of this, PENGASSAN had directed its members to halt supply of crude oil and gas to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery immediately and directed those in the field to down tool.
Meanwhile, at the entrance gate of these agencies, activities were paralysed while, security personnel and union members were seen enforcing the strike directive.
An official of PENGASSAN at the NNPC Ltd, who pledged anonymity, akso confirmed the shutdown of the company in compliance with directive from the striking union, adding that no one was allowed to gain entrance.
Nigerians await the outcome of the meeting of both parties being convened by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Mr. Muhammad Dingyadi, in a move to reconcile them to prevent the crisis from escalating.
Meanwhile, a statement issued by the Dangote Group has said that the National Industrial Court in Abuja has stopped the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) from carrying out its nationwide strike aimed at shutting down the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
Justice Emmanuel Sublim, in a ruling on Monday, reportedly issued an interim order restraining PENGASSAN and its allies from cutting crude and gas supply to the multi-billion-dollar facility. He warned that the planned strike could deal a heavy blow to Nigeria’s fragile economy.
The order also tied the hands of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) from carrying out any directive by PENGASSAN to choke supply lines to the refinery. The case has been adjourned till October 13 for hearing.
Meanwhile, Dangote Petroleum Refinery has assured Nigerians of uninterrupted supply of petroleum products, including petrol, diesel, aviation fuel, kerosene, and cooking gas despite threat by PENGASSAN.
The assurance comes amid reports of a planned attack on the refinery, allegedly involving PENGASSAN members and hired thugs. According to intelligence sources, the plot seeks to disrupt critical units of the facility, particularly those responsible for petrol production.
PENGASSAN had over the weekend ordered its branches in oil majors like TotalEnergies, Chevron, Seplat, Shell Nigeria Gas, Oando and others to shut down all crude oil valves to Dangote Refinery. “All crude oil supply valves to the refinery should be shut. Loading operations for any vessel headed to the refinery should be halted immediately,” the union declared.
In response, Dangote Petroleum Refinery described the directive as “lawless acts and sabotage against Nigeria and its people,” stressing that the union’s claims of anti-labour practices were unfounded. The company reiterated that its recent internal reorganisation was aimed at curbing repeated sabotage within critical units and was not directed at Nigerian staff.
“More than 3,000 Nigerians remain fully employed at the refinery and continue to have unrestricted access to the facility,” the company said, adding that only a very small number of staff were affected by the review process.
Sources confirmed that the refinery has requested heightened protection and surveillance, warning that the alleged plot was at an advanced stage.
“We are calling on security agencies to be on alert as this plan is targeted at crippling the operations of the refinery and preventing the supply of refined petroleum products, especially petrol,” one source noted.
The company further alleged that the planned disruption is part of a broader strategy to undermine Nigeria’s progress in domestic refining and push the country back into dependence on imported fuel.
“Despite the sabotaging acts of PENGASSAN and its allies, Dangote Refinery is determined to continue with uninterrupted production and supply of petroleum products to the Nigerian people and businesses,” noted the source.
The refinery stressed that heightened surveillance is vital as intelligence reveals PENGASSAN’s plot to physically sabotage its facilities, targeting critical units to enforce shutdown threats.
