The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, has implemented a shutdown of the Dangote Refinery plant, according to recent updates. This move is part of the union’s industrial action against the refinery over the recent mass sacking of its members. PENGASSAN has confirmed that its members have shut down all oil installations nationwide, including the Dangote Refinery plant, which is now 100 percent shut down.

The refinery’s fertiliser plant train two is also completely shut, while train one is operating at 60 percent capacity. However, the diesel plant is still running, although this development has not been confirmed by Dangote Refinery. The shutdown has disrupted crude and gas supply to the refinery, adding to the uncertainty surrounding the situation.

The dispute between Dangote Refinery and PENGASSAN began after the refinery sacked over 800 workers for belonging to the union. In response to the union’s directive, Dangote Refinery described the move as economic sabotage in a statement released on Saturday. The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission has since urged both parties to engage in dialogue to resolve the rift.

The shutdown is a significant development in the ongoing dispute between the refinery and the union. PENGASSAN’s actions are aimed at pressuring the refinery to reinstate the sacked workers and recognize the union’s rights. The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission’s call for dialogue is seen as an attempt to mitigate the impact of the shutdown on the country’s oil and gas sector.

As the situation continues to unfold, the fate of the sacked workers and the future of the refinery remain uncertain. The shutdown is likely to have far-reaching consequences for the Nigerian oil and gas industry, and it remains to be seen how the situation will be resolved. With the refinery’s operations at a standstill, the focus is now on finding a solution to the dispute and getting the refinery back online.