The standoff between Dangote Refinery and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has taken a dramatic turn, with the company describing the union’s directive to halt gas and crude supply as “economic sabotage.”
PENGASSAN had ordered its members nationwide to cut supply to the $20 billion refinery in protest against the dismissal of more than 800 workers linked to the union.
In a strongly worded statement on Saturday, Dangote Refinery said the move was not only reckless but also a direct assault on what it called a “strategic national asset.”
“This is economic sabotage against the Nigerian State at multiple levels. Dangote Refinery is the only one of its kind in Africa and should be a source of national pride. An irreparable injury to this facility constitutes a national embarrassment,” the statement read.
The company questioned whose interest PENGASSAN was serving with such a directive, warning that the action could scare off potential investors drawn by the refinery’s scale and ambition.
Dangote Refinery urged the Federal Government and security agencies to intervene immediately and restrain the union.
While the company focused on the national impact of the supply cut, it remained silent on the core issue raised by PENGASSAN — the alleged unjust sack of hundreds of workers. The union insists it will not back down until what it describes as unfair labour practices are addressed.
The faceoff now threatens to test government’s ability to balance the protection of strategic investments with the rights of Nigerian workers.