Nigerians are feeling the heat as fuel prices rise sharply following a deadlocked meeting between the Federal Government, Dangote Refinery, and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).
The closed-door meeting held on Monday failed to resolve the ongoing crisis between Dangote Refinery and PENGASSAN, which has accused the refinery of unjustly sacking workers for belonging to the union.
Confirming the breakdown of talks, PENGASSAN President, Festus Osifo, said the industrial action that began on Monday will continue nationwide until further notice.
“All comrades are therefore directed to continue with the industrial action until further instruction. Only information coming through our official channels should be regarded as authentic,” PENGASSAN said in a directive signed by its General Secretary, Lumumba Ighotemu.
The strike, which started as a protest against Dangote Refinery’s alleged mass dismissal of unionised workers, has now grown into a larger labour action affecting major oil and gas institutions.
The ongoing standoff has already led to a rise in the price of petrol in parts of Abuja and other parts of the country. Many filling stations have increased prices, and long queues are beginning to return.
President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Abubakar Maigandi, attributed the fuel price hike to panic buying triggered by the labour dispute.
“It is the anxiety created by the face-off between Dangote Refinery and PENGASSAN,” he said. “This has resulted in panic buying among Nigerians, which has shot up the fuel prices. We urge the Federal Government to act quickly to resolve the matter.”
He added that while the situation may be temporary, Nigerians should not be subjected to further hardship due to avoidable labour disputes.
The strike has also disrupted activities at several major government oil institutions. On Monday, PENGASSAN members shut down offices of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) in Abuja.
The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have also joined the protest, escalating the pressure on the Dangote Refinery and the government.
PENGASSAN is demanding the reinstatement of workers allegedly sacked by Dangote Refinery for joining the union. Although Dangote Refinery has not publicly disclosed the number of workers affected, it has not denied the claims either.
In a dramatic turn, the National Industrial Court in Abuja granted an interim order restraining PENGASSAN from continuing with its strike action. Justice Emmanuel Danjuma Subilim issued the ruling in favour of Dangote Refinery.
However, PENGASSAN says it is not aware of any court injunction and insists the strike will continue.
“The strike continues. We have not received any formal notice of any court judgment,” the union said.
Over the weekend, Dangote Refinery condemned the strike directive, accusing the union of using “bully and terror tactics.” But PENGASSAN responded by saying it is acting within its rights and will not back down until justice is served.
Although the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Labour and Employment, is involved in the talks, no official resolution has been reached. Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Dingyadi, appealed to all parties to consider the interests of Nigerians and resolve their differences.
“This matter needs to be resolved for the good of Nigerians, the union, and the employers,” the minister said during the Monday meeting.
Attempts to get more details from the Ministry’s spokesperson, Patience Onuobia, were unsuccessful as of press time.
Dangote Refinery, Africa’s largest single-train refinery with a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, was expected to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported fuel. However, this ongoing labour crisis threatens those hopes.
PENGASSAN, one of the strongest unions in the oil and gas sector, is known for its ability to ground national oil operations when provoked. If the strike continues, Nigeria could face widespread fuel scarcity and further price hikes.
As the strike enters its second day with no solution in sight, Nigerians are bracing for more hardship unless the government, labour, and Dangote Refinery quickly find common ground.
