The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, (PENGASSAN), has suspended its nationwide strike.
PENGASSAN President, Festus Osifo, announced the suspension at a press conference in Abuja yesterday, explaining that the decision followed a meeting with the National Security Adviser (NSA)and the management of Dangote Refinery.
Osifo admitted that “grey areas” remain in the communiqué, which both the government and refinery management could not fully clarify. He stressed that the association suspended the strike in good faith, despite lingering dissatisfaction with parts of the resolution.
Osifo however warned that PENGASSAN would resume the industrial action without notice if Dangote Refinery fails to honour the agreement.
The PENGASSAN and the private refinery had been at loggerheads over unresolved labour issues.
Earlier yesterday, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Mohammed Dingyadi, confirmed that the industrial dispute had been resolved.
In an issued communiqué, Dingyadi said unionisation was a legal right of workers that must be respected. He assured that no worker would be victimised for participating in the dispute.
The Minister also announced that the Ɗangote Group would reassign over 800 disengaged workers to its subsidiaries without loss of pay. “Both parties agreed to this understanding in good faith,” Dingyaɗi stated.
The aggrieved union members are protesting the alleged illegal sacking of over 800 Nigerian workers by the management of the Ɗangote refinery.
The PENGASSAN and the private refinery are at loggerheads over unresolved labour issues.
The union directed members to cut crude and gas supplies immediately.
Recall that on Monday, Justice Emmanuel Subilim, of the National Industrial Court, issued an interim injunction against the strike.
The judge agreed with Ɗangote Refinery’s argument that disruption would cause irreparable economic harm. He stressed that preserving industrial peace outweighed union action, and fixed further hearings for 13 October 2025.
PENGASSAN, however, insists it will not hesitate to resume action if the agreement is breached.
