NLC Orders Urgent Action as PENGASSAN Shutdown Grounds Oil Regulators
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has issued a strong directive to its affiliate unions, calling for immediate mobilisation in preparation for a nationwide strike against the Dangote Group. The union accuses the conglomerate of orchestrating sustained anti-worker practices that undermine the rights of Nigerian employees.
This move comes on the heels of the strike declared by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) on Monday, which crippled operations across vital oil and gas regulatory agencies. Institutions such as the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) were effectively shut down.
Court Injunction Sparks Controversy
Despite a ruling from the National Industrial Court in Abuja restraining PENGASSAN from embarking on the strike against Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals Free Zone Enterprise, the union declared it was unaware of the injunction. PENGASSAN stressed that legal processes are properly served through court bailiffs, not through social media posts.
NLC Accuses Dangote of Exploitation
In an internal memo addressed to presidents and general secretaries of its affiliates, NLC President Joe Ajaero condemned the Dangote Group, accusing it of a “protracted and deliberate anti-worker crusade.”
“The ongoing battle with PENGASSAN and NUPENG is merely a symptom of a deeper sickness; a capitalist pathology of union-busting, worker enslavement, and gross impunity that defines the Group’s industrial relations strategy,” Ajaero stated.
He further accused the conglomerate of acting like “a state within a state,” alleging persistent violations of Section 40 of the Nigerian Constitution and International Labour Organisation (ILO) Conventions 87 and 98.
Workers’ Dismissal and Shutdown
PENGASSAN had earlier reported that over 800 Nigerian workers were dismissed for attempting to unionise, with many positions allegedly replaced by more than 2,000 expatriates from India. Dangote, however, denied these allegations, attributing the restructuring to safety concerns and sabotage prevention, while maintaining that more than 3,000 Nigerians remain employed.
The dispute forced the refinery to temporarily halt operations, disrupting Nigeria’s broader efforts to reduce dependence on imported fuel and stabilise the naira. Government officials have since intervened, hosting a meeting with stakeholders in Abuja on Monday to avert further escalation.
NLC Sets Up Committees for Mobilisation
The NLC directed its affiliates to commence aggressive unionisation within Dangote Group facilities, and to set up Action Mobilisation Committees within 72 hours. These committees are to coordinate with the NLC national secretariat to plan logistics, strategy, and communications.
“The impunity of the Dangote Group must be met with the resistance of organised labour,” Ajaero declared. “The blood and sweat of Nigerian workers built this conglomerate; we will not let it become a monument to their oppression. Together, we stand! Together, we will overcome.”
okay.ng reports that this industrial face-off poses serious risks to Nigeria’s fragile economy, given the Dangote Refinery’s $20 billion investment and its role in stabilising fuel supply.
