The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has responded sharply to comments made by Vice President Kashim Shettima, who criticised the union’s recent industrial action against the Dangote Refinery.
Speaking to The PUNCH on Monday, PENGASSAN President Festus Osifo insisted that the union would not hesitate to take similar action in the future if its members were unfairly dismissed again.
This development followed protests in Kaduna, where some demonstrators accused PENGASSAN of trying to sabotage operations at the Dangote Refinery.
Last week, the union had shut down key oil and gas facilities across the country after alleging that the Dangote Refinery unlawfully terminated the employment of 800 workers for joining the association. The refinery, however, denied the claim, saying only a few employees were dismissed for sabotaging operations as part of its internal reorganisation.
The strike action disrupted oil and gas production, led to a drop in power generation, and caused fuel scarcity nationwide. Normalcy was restored after federal intervention, with the refinery agreeing to redeploy the affected workers to other business units, prompting PENGASSAN to suspend the strike.
Despite this, the impact lingered, as the price of cooking gas remained high selling for around N2,000 per kilogram in Lagos and other cities on Monday, compared to about N900 before the dispute.
At the opening of the 2025 Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja, Vice President Shettima described Aliko Dangote as “an institution” and a “pillar of Nigeria’s economy,” warning against actions that could harm investor confidence.
“Aliko Dangote is not an individual; he’s an institution and a leading light in Nigeria’s economic parliament,” Shettima said. “If he had invested $10 billion in companies like Microsoft or Amazon, he’d be worth $70–80 billion today. But he chose to invest in Nigeria, and we must protect the interests of this great nation.”
He urged both labour and the private sector to exercise restraint, adding, “Nigeria is greater than PENGASSAN. It’s not about holding the nation to ransom over a minor labour dispute.”
In response, PENGASSAN President Osifo countered that “Nigeria is equally bigger than Dangote and the Presidency.” He emphasised that the union’s mandate is to defend the rights and jobs of its members.
“Of course, Nigeria is bigger than PENGASSAN, just as it is bigger than Dangote and the Presidency,” Osifo said. “We have a clear mandate to protect the jobs of our members, and we will always act to fulfil that duty.”
He added that the union would respond the same way if such dismissals occurred again. “Should this same event happen tomorrow, our approach will remain exactly the same,” he said.
When asked about reports suggesting that the government might dissolve the union for threatening national energy security, Osifo fired back, “Does the law prohibit workers’ right to strike?”
Backing him, PENGASSAN General Secretary Lumumba Okugbawa questioned, “Is Nigeria not bigger than any individual or institution?”
Meanwhile, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Bagudu, said the federal government would continue supporting local production to stabilise the economy.
Bagudu stated that reforms initiated since May 2023 including fuel subsidy removal, FX market deregulation, and the naira-for-crude policy had helped avert fiscal collapse and stabilise growth. He noted that inflation was easing and GDP growth had improved to 3.4% in 2024, with projections of 4.6% for 2025.
“Our next focus is sustaining reforms to achieve growth and development. We will prioritise agriculture, manufacturing, and infrastructure to ease living costs,” Bagudu said.
Also speaking, Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, said the government was focused on translating trade policies into real outcomes that boost exports, create jobs, and integrate Nigeria into global value chains.
“It’s time to move from words to results,” Oduwole said, disclosing that Nigeria had completed its five-year AfCFTA review and initiated trade negotiations with countries like Uganda and Ecuador.
She added that the government was working to cut trade costs by up to 75%, decongest ports, and streamline agencies to make exports more competitive.
Chairman of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), Olaniyi Yusuf, warned that how Nigeria treats its domestic investors would shape the confidence of foreign investors.
He cited inflation, high debt service, and weak investor sentiment as key obstacles to inclusive growth, urging the government to deepen reforms and strengthen small and medium enterprises through access to finance, power, and technology.
“Stabilisation has given us breathing space, but it is not the destination,” Yusuf said. “We must consolidate and accelerate reforms to avoid sliding backward.”
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