Dangote Petroleum Refinery has expressed concerns over the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), questioning the union’s role in the nation’s oil and gas sector and its recent directive to cut crude oil and gas supplies to the facility.
In a statement issued at the weekend, the refinery described the move as “economic sabotage” capable of worsening hardship for Nigerians.
“Over time, the Association has consistently positioned itself in ways that appear not to serve the interests of Nigerians and Nigerian workers,” the statement noted.
— Dangote Group (@DangoteGroup) September 28, 2025
Dangote recalled that in 2007, when the Federal Government sold the Port Harcourt and Kaduna refineries to the Blue Star Consortium led by the Dangote Group for $750 million, PENGASSAN and its ally, NUPENG, opposed the transaction. “It is now evident that the Federal Government’s decision then was the right one, and that the opposition at the time has not stood the test of history,” the company added.
The refinery also raised questions about the union’s support for the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt Refinery, describing the project as a “ruse” despite widespread celebration. It further cited PENGASSAN’s opposition to amendments to the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), which, according to the company, could have freed up federal resources and encouraged private investment.
On finances, the refinery urged the union to demonstrate accountability in the use of billions of naira in annual check-off dues, suggesting that members deserve greater transparency. By contrast, it highlighted its own contributions, road construction, worker training, thousands of jobs for Nigerians, and a compensation structure it described as “one of the best in the oil and gas sector.”
“The Dangote Group is today the highest employer of labour in Nigeria and the biggest contributor to government tax revenues. What comparable social responsibility has PENGASSAN demonstrated with its resources?” the statement queried, calling on the union to publish audited accounts for the past ten years.
The refinery described the union’s latest directive to withdraw services and halt fuel supplies, including petrol, diesel, kerosene, cooking gas, and aviation fuel, as “reckless and dangerous,” warning that such an action could disrupt hospitals, schools, emergency services, transportation, and other critical sectors.
Dangote Refinery appealed to the Federal Government and security agencies to ensure the protection of its facility and safeguard national energy security, stressing that Nigerians must not be subjected to avoidable hardship.