PENGASSAN barricades NNPC, NUPRC, NMDPRA over Dangote feud

Orisemeke Benjamin

Members of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association (PENGASSAN) on Monday enforced the call to strike by its executives alleged illegal dismissal of Nigerian workers by the Dangote refinery as they barricaded the gates of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) headquarters.

Similar scenes played out at the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), where union members blocked access to the premises.

PENGASSAN had on Saturday called its branch affiliates to shutdown down tools over alleged sacking mass sacking of workers for joining the union. Later, PENGASSAN accused the management of the Dangote refinery and petrochemicals of transferring its members, including Nigerian engineers, to other subsidiaries in an attempt to weaken its presence at the facility.

The circular calling for the strike states that “All PENGASSAN members working across field locations are to withdraw services effective 06:00hrs on Sunday, 28 September 2025, and commence 24-hour prayers. This includes all control room operations, panel operations, and outfield personnel.

“All PENGASSAN members across all offices, companies, institutions, and agencies should withdraw all services effective 00:01 on Monday, 29th of September, 2025,” it added.