The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has suspended its nationwide strike against the Dangote Petroleum Refinery following marathon negotiations brokered by the Federal Government.
The strike, which began on Sunday over alleged anti-union practices, had disrupted sections of Nigeria’s oil and gas operations before the truce was reached in Abuja in the early hours of Wednesday.
Announcing the suspension, PENGASSAN President Festus Osifo said the decision was made out of respect for government institutions and processes, despite what he described as “deep mistrust” of the Dangote Group’s commitment to the agreement.
“We are only suspending, not calling off this strike. If any part of the agreement is broken, we will not issue fresh warnings. Industrial action will resume immediately,” Osifo warned.
The union leader stressed that the dispute centred on workers’ fundamental rights to freedom of association and fair welfare conditions.
While acknowledging the intervention of Labour Ministry officials who negotiated until 4 a.m., Osifo said PENGASSAN remains dissatisfied with aspects of the communique signed, accusing Dangote of a history of disregarding labour agreements.
He added:
“We don’t believe Dangote will live up to expectations. But out of respect for government and patriotism to Nigeria, we have chosen the moral high ground to suspend the strike.”
The Dangote Refinery, commissioned in 2023 with a projected capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, has repeatedly clashed with oil unions over labour practices. Its sister union, NUPENG, has also accused the conglomerate of anti-union activities.
AreFor now, PENGASSAN says it will monitor compliance with the agreement closely and will not hesitate to re-embark on strike if violations occur.
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