The National Industrial Court sitting in Abuja has issued a restraining order preventing the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) from embarking on its planned industrial action against Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
Justice Emmanuel Danjuma Subilim, ruling on an ex-parte application filed by the refinery on Monday, specifically barred PENGASSAN from cutting crude oil and gas supply to the multi-billion-dollar facility.
Other defendants in the suit include the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).
Senior Advocate of Nigeria, George Ibrahim, who argued the motion on behalf of Dangote Refinery, urged the court to protect the refinery from imminent sabotage and disruption of its operations. He argued that PENGASSAN had threatened to mobilize its members to block crude and gas supply lines following the refinery’s recent re-organisation exercise, which saw a number of staff laid off over alleged acts of sabotage and safety concerns.
Dangote Refinery, in its defense, maintained that the restructuring was not targeted at unionized workers, noting that out of more than 3,000 Nigerian staff, only a negligible number were affected. The company insisted it recognizes workers’ constitutional right to unionize.
However, PENGASSAN, in a letter dated September 26, 2025, warned that over 800 workers were sacked for joining the union and threatened to cripple refinery operations if the affected staff were not reinstated. The union further directed NNPCL, NMDPRA, and NUPRC to halt crude and gas supply to the plant.
Delivering his ruling, Justice Subilim held that the balance of convenience was in favour of Dangote Refinery, stressing that any disruption to its operations could irreparably damage the business, deprive Nigerians of essential services, and destabilize the economy.
He consequently granted the interim injunction restraining PENGASSAN, its members, and associates from carrying out the planned strike or obstructing operations at the refinery. The order, however, is to last for seven days only.
The matter has been adjourned to October 13, 2025, for hearing of the substantive motion on notice.
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