The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has shut down the Dangote Refinery plant as part of an industrial action triggered by the recent mass dismissal of its members. The union confirmed that its members have halted operations at all oil installations nationwide, leaving the Dangote Refinery completely shut down. The refinery’s fertilizer plant, train two, is also fully offline, while train one is operating at only 60 percent capacity. The diesel plant continues to run, although Dangote Refinery has not verified this claim. The shutdown has disrupted crude and gas supplies to the refinery, adding further uncertainty to the situation.
The dispute began when the refinery dismissed more than 800 workers for belonging to the union. In response to PENGASSAN’s directive, Dangote Refinery labeled the shutdown “economic sabotage” in a statement released on Saturday. The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission has since called on both parties to engage in dialogue to resolve the rift.
PENGASSAN’s actions aim to pressure the refinery into reinstating the dismissed workers and recognizing the union’s rights. The regulator’s appeal for talks is intended to mitigate the shutdown’s impact on Nigeria’s oil and gas sector. As the situation unfolds, the fate of the sacked workers and the future of the refinery remain uncertain, and the broader consequences for the industry are still to be seen. The immediate priority is finding a solution to the dispute and restoring the refinery’s operations.
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