Amanze Chinonye
The management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery has issued a strongly worded statement condemning the Petroleum and Natural Gas senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) for directing its members to cut off gas and crude oil supplies to the $20 billion facility, warning that the move threatens Nigeria’s energy security and risks plunging the country into a nationwide fuel crisis.
The late-Friday directive, which targeted gas suppliers and crude handlers across key oil and gas companies, ordered the immediate suspension of all deliveries to the Lekki-based refinery and the shutdown of vessel loading operations.
The union’s action follows weeks of tension over allegations of mass layoffs and discrimination, including claims that Dangote sacked over 800 Nigerian workers and replaced them with more than 2,000 foreign nationals, many allegedly without valid immigration papers.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelIn a Saturday follow-up statement, Dangote Refinery described the union’s move as a “brazen, shocking display of lawlessness and criminality,” stressing that no Nigerian law grants PENGASSAN the authority to interfere in private contracts between the refinery and its suppliers.
“Our laws do not brook self-help and mob action that could introduce mayhem and chaos and easily translate into anarchy,” the management declared.
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Dangote warned that enforcing the directive would disrupt the supply of critical petroleum products such as petrol, diesel, kerosene, aviation fuel, and cooking gas, inflicting what it called “unquantifiable hardship” on households and businesses nationwide.
The company described the order as economic sabotage, saying it could halt production at Africa’s largest refinery, discourage foreign investment in Nigeria’s energy sector, and cut government revenue at a time when public finances are already under strain.
“This is a direct threat to Nigeria’s energy independence and economic stability,” the statement read. “It is a fight that affects every Nigerian because these products are essential to daily life and industrial activity.
PENGASSAN’s actions, if allowed, will lead to fuel shortages, higher prices, and severe disruption to transportation and power generation.”
The refinery, which began partial operations earlier this year, is regarded as a strategic national asset expected to reduce Nigeria’s reliance on imported fuel and save billions in foreign exchange.
Analysts warn that any prolonged disruption could not only trigger nationwide fuel scarcity but also undermine investor confidence in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, where Dangote Refinery is seen as a flagship project.
PENGASSAN has defended its position, accusing Dangote of breaching the Labour Act and Trade Union Act by sacking workers shortly after they unionised. While the union had initially pledged to seek redress through legal channels, Friday’s order to halt supplies marks a significant escalation.
The unfolding confrontation is no longer just a workplace dispute. It now represents a critical test of Nigeria’s labour laws, the government’s ability to maintain energy stability, and the future of a refinery hailed as the backbone of the country’s fuel security.
How the federal authorities respond in the coming days could determine whether Nigerians face prolonged hardship at petrol stations and in their homes or whether Africa’s biggest refinery remains a reliable pillar of economic growth.
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