The management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery has described as “criminal and reckless” a directive issued by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria instructing its branches to halt crude oil and gas supplies to the 650,000 barrels-per-day plant.
In a statement on Saturday, Dangote warned that the directive, if enforced, would not only cripple operations at the facility but also amount to “economic sabotage” against Nigeria, threatening the supply of essential petroleum products, including petrol, aviation fuel, diesel, kerosene and cooking gas.
Earlier on Saturday, PENGASSAN, through a written communication to its branches in TotalEnergies E&P, Seplat, Renaissance, Chevron, Oando, Shell Nigeria Gas, and the Nigerian Gas Infrastructure Company, ordered members to shut crude supply valves to the Lekki-based refinery and cut gas flows effective immediately.
The association, which has been locked in a labour dispute with the refinery over the recent sacking of about 800 workers, also directed branch chairmen to halt loading operations of vessels headed for the refinery and report progress on the implementation of the directive.
But Dangote, in its reaction, insisted that the union had no legal authority to interfere with existing supply contracts between the refinery and third-party vendors, stressing that Nigeria remained a country governed by laws, not “mob action.”
“This is a brazen, shocking display of lawlessness and criminality by PENGASSAN. Absolutely no law gives the union the right to cut off gas and crude oil supplies to Dangote Refinery or disrupt the performance of valid contracts,” the management said.
It warned that the directive could plunge the nation into fuel scarcity, trigger hardship for millions of households, and damage Nigeria’s investment image.
“The refinery is a strategic national asset and one of the largest contributors to government revenue. The attempt by PENGASSAN to sabotage its operations is a disincentive to investors and a national embarrassment,” the company added.
It also called on the Federal Government and security agencies to intervene urgently and urged Nigerians to resist what it described as a calculated attempt to inflict “unquantifiable hardship” on the population.
“No Nigerian household is insulated from the effects of this reckless directive. The repercussions will be grave, affecting every home, every business, and the aviation industry. This is a fight for all Nigerians,” the statement read.
The refinery further reminded PENGASSAN of its earlier pledge, in a press release issued on the same September 26, to pursue “necessary legal actions” against the company rather than resorting to self-help.
The standoff comes as tensions continue to escalate between the oil workers’ union and the management of the refinery, which has insisted that its controversial restructuring exercise was necessary to protect the multi-billion-dollar facility from operational risks.
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