The Federal Government has successfully resolved the labour face-off between Dangote Refinery and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), averting a strike that could have disrupted fuel supply nationwide.
After two days of negotiations in Abuja, both parties reached an agreement on Tuesday, ensuring that over 800 disengaged workers would be reabsorbed into other Dangote Group companies without any loss of pay.
The conciliation meeting was convened by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi, with the involvement of the National Security Adviser, the Ministers of Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, State for Petroleum (Gas), and the Directors-General of the DSS and NIA.
Dr. Dingyadi emphasised that the “right of workers to unionise in accordance with Nigerian law must be respected.”
Key highlights of the agreement
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Reabsorption of workers: Disengaged staff to be placed in other Dangote Group subsidiaries, with salaries maintained.
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No victimisation: Workers involved in the dispute will not face reprisals.
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Strike suspension: PENGASSAN confirmed it will call off its industrial action.
The communique stated that all parties entered the agreement “in good faith.”
The dispute, triggered by allegations of mass sackings at the $20 billion refinery, had heightened fears of fuel shortages and power generation disruptions. The Federal Government had earlier reassured Nigerians of “stable and uninterrupted fuel supply.”
While industrial peace has been restored, analysts caution that deeper labour and governance challenges in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector remain unresolved.
