The management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery has strongly condemned the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) over a directive instructing its members to halt crude oil and gas supply to the refinery, describing the move as “lawless, reckless, and criminal.
In a statement released on Saturday, Dangote Refinery said it became aware of a written directive issued by PENGASSAN on 26 September 2025 to several of its branches, including those in TotalEnergies E&P, Seplat Producing Nigeria Unlimited, Renaissance, Chevron, Oando, Shell Nigeria Gas, SNG, and NGIC.
According to the refinery, the directive ordered members to “cut off gas supply to NGIC effective immediately” and ensure that “all crude oil supply valves to the Dangote Refinery should be shut,” with loading operations for vessels also to be halted. PENGASSAN further instructed branch chairmen to enforce the directive and report back on compliance.
“A brazen display of lawlessness”
Dangote Refinery described the directive as an unlawful act of economic sabotage that threatens Nigeria’s energy security and the wellbeing of millions of citizens.
“Absolutely no law gives PENGASSAN the right to direct its branches to cut off gas and crude oil supplies to Dangote Refinery or anywhere else,” the statement read.
“This amounts to criminal conduct intended to disrupt or interfere with legally binding supply contracts. PENGASSAN has no right or authority to interfere in these matters.”
The refinery accused the union of attempting to introduce anarchy into the country and noted that the move contradicted PENGASSAN’s own press release of the same date, in which it vowed to pursue “necessary legal actions” against the refinery.
“This contradiction reveals the Association’s abandonment of lawful recourse and preference for illegal and disruptive actions that could destabilise the nation,” the statement added.
The management further warned that if enforced, the directive would disrupt the supply of essential petroleum products such as petrol, diesel, kerosene, aviation fuel, and cooking gas, with dire consequences for Nigerian households and businesses.
“All strata of Nigerians depend on these products, whether high and mighty or lowly and ordinary. In what circumstance could it be justified for PENGASSAN to impose insufferable hardship on the people by cutting off supply to the refinery?” the statement queried.
The refinery insisted that the directive amounted to sabotage not only against its operations but also against the Nigerian state, given the strategic national importance of the Dangote facility, the only refinery of its size in Africa.
Investor confidence and government revenue at risk
Dangote Refinery also expressed concern that the directive could damage investor confidence in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
“This is a disincentive to both local and international investors, who would have expected encouragement from the success of Dangote Refinery as a strategic national asset.
“PENGASSAN’s directive risks undermining Nigeria’s credibility in attracting investment and poses a direct threat to government revenues,” it stated.
The company noted that it is one of the largest contributors to both federal and state revenues and emphasised that PENGASSAN’s action, if carried out, would pause this contribution indefinitely.
Call for government intervention
Dangote Refinery called on the Federal Government, security agencies, and state governments to urgently intervene to prevent what it described as an attempt to introduce “chaos and irredeemable hardship” into Nigerian society.
“We are calling on all Nigerians to take note of this development. This is not only an attack on Dangote Refinery but a fight for all Nigerians. The repercussions would affect every household that depends on petroleum products,” the management said.
The statement concluded with a call for PENGASSAN to abide by its own declaration to pursue legal action rather than resorting to what it described as “illicit and criminal disruption.”
“We encourage and nudge PENGASSAN to live up to the commitment in its Press Release of 26 September 2025 to take all necessary legal actions, not lawless directives, against Dangote Refinery,” it said.
