The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has suspended its industrial action following the intervention of the Federal Government in the dispute between the union and the Dangote Group.
PENGASSAN President, Festus Osifo, announced the decision at a press briefing, stating that an emergency meeting of the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) resolved to put the strike on hold. According to him, the move was taken to allow for the implementation of agreements reached during negotiations and as a mark of respect for the Federal Government’s efforts in resolving the standoff.
Minister of Labour and Employment, Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi, confirmed in a statement that the Dangote Group has agreed to unionisation and will reabsorb the affected refinery workers into other companies within the Group without any loss of pay. He further assured that no worker will be victimised for their role in the dispute.
The Federal Government’s mediation team included the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu; Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu; Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha; DG DSS, Adeola Ajayi; and DG NIA, Ambassador Mohammed Mohammed.
PENGASSAN described the resolution as a significant step towards restoring industrial harmony in the oil and gas sector.
Osifo, however, warned that PENGASSAN would resume the industrial action without notice if Dangote Refinery fails to honour the agreement.
Osifo stated, “We are only suspending, not calling off this strike.”
“If any part of this agreement is broken, we will not give any warning. We will immediately resume our suspended industrial action.”
He stressed that the industrial action was rooted in the fundamental right of workers to freedom of association, insisting that members joined the union “to secure better welfare and fair pay.”
According to him, PENGASSAN remains unsatisfied with aspects of the communique signed under the supervision of the Ministry of Labour, warning that the union’s patience should not be mistaken for weakness.
Osifo said, “Yes, we understand that Dangote does not respect the rules of engagement. Yes, we understand that Dangote wants to prove that he is always bigger than the rules and above the law. Yes, we understand that today, we still have some members working within the confines of the refinery.
“Yes, today, we still have some members working in some companies within the group. Yes, we know or we believe or we suspect that some of the things that the government has asked Dangote to do, that he’s going to slip in it and won’t do them just as he did it to NUPENG. We have our suspicion.
“We truly don’t believe that he will keep to his own side of the bargain. We truly don’t believe that he will live up to expectations. We don’t believe. But because we have respect for institutions, because we have respect for government, because we have respect for processes, and because we have respect for procedures and because of those in government who sat up till almost 4 a.m. this morning to try and resolve this subject, the NEC has decided to listen to them. Even with our mutual suspicion that Dangote will not do what is right, even with our misgivings that the document did not clearly represent what we have asked for.
“But even with the shortcomings in the document, the National Executive Council of PENGGASAN has decided that they will go ahead to take the moral high ground, that we will go ahead to prove to the government that we are extremely patriotic people, that love this country more than any single individual, that we will go ahead to suspend the industrial action that we started on Sunday, 28th day of September 2025.”
He emphasised that the dispute was about the fundamental right of workers to freedom of association and fair pay.
“Remember, we are only suspending and we didn’t call off. We will be monitoring and following closely on any slip on the part of Dangote. If any part of this agreement, or any part of this communique as put up by the Ministry of Labour, is broken, we will not give any notice, we will not give any warning, and we will resume the suspended industrial action immediately.
“We have only suspended the industrial action in respect of the government of the land. As an institution, are we completely happy with what was provided? The answer for us is no,” he added.
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery, commissioned in 2023 with a touted capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, has faced recurring disputes with oil sector unions.
