Nigerian Labor congress orders nationwide strike preparation after oil union walkout halts key energy regulators, which is viewed as escalation of the current crisis in Dangote refinery.
The Nigeria Labor Congress (NLC) has ordered its affiliates to prepare for a nationwide strike against the Dangote Group, intensifying a high-stakes standoff over alleged anti-worker practices at Africa’s largest refinery.
The directive, issued late Monday by NLC President Comrade Joe Ajaero, came after the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) shut down operations at major oil and gas regulators, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
At the heart of the dispute are claims that more than 800 workers were dismissed at the $20 billion Dangote Petroleum Refinery after attempting to unionize. PENGASSAN alleges the jobs were largely replaced by expatriates, while Dangote Group maintains the layoffs were part of a restructuring to address safety and sabotage concerns. The company insists it still employs more than 3,000 Nigerians and denies suppressing union activity.
The refinery, located in Lekki on the outskirts of Lagos, is critical to Nigeria’s efforts to cut its reliance on imported fuel and stabilize its foreign exchange reserves. Any prolonged shutdown risks disrupting supply chains and worsening economic pressures in Africa’s largest oil producer.
On Monday, the National Industrial Court in Abuja issued an interim order restraining PENGASSAN from blocking crude and gas supplies to the refinery. Justice Emmanuel Danjuma Subilim said the balance of convenience favored Dangote, ruling that a strike could damage the economy and deprive Nigerians of essential energy services. The order is set to last seven days, pending a full hearing scheduled for October 13.
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But PENGASSAN leaders dismissed the ruling, saying they had not been officially served with court papers. “Court orders are served via a bailiff, not through social media,” General Secretary Lumumba Okugbawa said, urging members to continue the strike.
The escalating row has drawn in other labor organizations. The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria condemned the refinery’s actions as “unjust and anti-labor,” while the Trade Union Congress pledged solidarity with the striking oil workers.
Government officials have begun mediating between both sides in Abuja, but union leaders remain defiant. Comrade Joe Ajaero accused the conglomerate of operating “as a state within a state” and called the situation a test of Nigeria’s labor laws.
“The moment for decisive action is now,” he warned.
The outcome of the dispute will not only affect thousands of workers but also determine whether the Dangote refinery—touted as a game-changer for Nigeria’s fragile economy—can operate without prolonged labor unrest.
