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The recent unrest within Nigeria’s oil and gas industry has subsided following a significant agreement between the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and Dangote Refinery. This development came after the Federal Government intervened to mediate a resolution, leading to the suspension of the union’s industrial action.
After two consecutive days of intensive discussions involving PENGASSAN officials, representatives from the Dangote Group, and the Ministry of Labour and Employment, a consensus was reached. A key element of the settlement was the reinstatement of refinery employees who had been terminated due to their voluntary membership in PENGASSAN. The final statement from the talks confirmed that these workers would be re-employed within other branches of the Dangote conglomerate without any reduction in their salaries.
Furthermore, the agreement assured that no staff member would suffer retaliation for their participation in the labor dispute. In return, the union committed to halting its strike and restoring normal workflow at the refinery.
Labour Minister Muhammad Dingyadi, who facilitated the negotiations, underscored the government’s unwavering support for workers’ rights to organize. He emphasized, “The right to form and join unions is a cornerstone of labor law in Nigeria and must be respected across all sectors.”
The strike, initiated by PENGASSAN on Sunday, had disrupted the supply of crude oil and gas to the Dangote Refinery, a multi-billion-dollar facility, as a protest against the dismissal of union-affiliated employees.
With the resolution reached on Tuesday, PENGASSAN has begun the process of calling off the strike, a development anticipated to restore stability and continuity in the operations of Nigeria’s vital oil and gas sector.