After marathon conciliation meetings between the management of Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), the dispute arising from the termination of about 800 workers has been amicably resolved.
The meetings, which held on Monday 29th and Tuesday 30th September, 2025, at the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), were convened at the instance of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment. They followed PENGASSAN’s directive to stop gas supply to the Dangote Refinery and its threat of withdrawal of services over the mass disengagement of its members.
In attendance were the National Security Adviser, Ministers of Labour and Employment, Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Budget and Economic Planning, as well as the Ministers of State for Labour and Employment and Petroleum Resources (Gas), represented by the Permanent Secretary. Also present were the Directors-General of the Department of State Services (DSS) and National Intelligence Agency (NIA), the Chief Executives of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), representatives of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), along with the President and Secretary-General of the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
The communique, signed by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi, noted that after extensive deliberations, the management of Dangote Refinery explained that the disengagement of the affected workers was due to an ongoing internal reorganisation.
The resolution stated as follows:
- Unionisation Rights – The Honourable Minister of Labour reminded all parties that unionisation is a fundamental right of Nigerian workers under the law and must be respected.
- Re-engagement of Workers – The Dangote Group agreed to immediately begin the process of redeploying the disengaged staff to other subsidiaries within the group, with no loss of pay.
- Non-Victimisation Clause – No worker will be victimised for their role in the dispute.
- Strike Suspension – PENGASSAN agreed to commence the process of calling off the strike and restoring industrial harmony.
Both parties pledged to uphold the agreement in good faith.
Ends.
