Nigeria faces a potential nationwide blackout after a dispute erupted between Dangote Refinery and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN). The Nigerian Gas Infrastructure Company has issued a notice to comply with PENGASSAN’s directive to cut gas supplies, a move that could force the shutdown of the country’s thermal power‑generating companies (GenCos). Joy Ogaji, Executive Secretary of the Association of Power Generating Companies, confirmed that the action would likely plunge the nation into darkness, noting that hydro‑generation plants alone cannot sustain the national grid. She added that the situation is being monitored to see whether the federal government will intervene.
The conflict began when Dangote Refinery dismissed workers who voluntarily belonged to PENGASSAN. In retaliation, PENGASSAN announced a nationwide strike and instructed its members to halt gas and crude supplies to the refinery until the dismissed workers are reinstated. The union reported that its members complied with the directive on Sunday. The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria has also voiced support for PENGASSAN’s actions and plans to join the strike.
Dangote Refinery condemned the union’s tactics as “bully and terror tactics.” Meanwhile, Minister of Labour Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi and the Ministry of Finance have called for dialogue between PENGASSAN and the refinery, scheduling a meeting for Monday to resolve the feud. The government has assured citizens that petroleum product supplies will remain stable despite the dispute.
The outcome of the upcoming meeting will be crucial in determining the next steps, as a blackout could have significant repercussions for Nigeria’s economy and daily life. The incident underscores the complex relationships among labor unions, companies, and the government in the country’s energy sector, and highlights the urgent need for a swift resolution to safeguard the nation’s energy supply and economic stability.
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