The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has clarified that it did not sign the communiqué being circulated as the agreement that ended its recent strike against the Dangote Refinery.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television, PENGASSAN President Festus Osifo explained that the communiqué was drafted by the Minister of Labour and Employment after reconciliation talks, but the union refused to append its signature.
According to him, several “grey areas” were not addressed, making it impossible for PENGASSAN to endorse the document.
Despite this, Osifo confirmed that the strike was suspended in good faith following government intervention. He however stressed that the suspension is conditional, and the union may return to industrial action if Dangote Refinery fails to fulfil the terms discussed at the negotiation table.
At the heart of the dispute is the dismissal of more than 800 Nigerian workers by the refinery, which PENGASSAN described as unlawful.
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The union is demanding their immediate reinstatement or redeployment across the Dangote Group without loss of pay or benefits.
The nationwide strike, which lasted a few days, significantly disrupted Nigeria’s oil and gas operations, cutting daily output by about 16 percent and prompting urgent federal mediation.
While operations have now resumed, PENGASSAN’s firm rejection of the unsigned communiqué signals lingering mistrust and raises fears of fresh industrial unrest if commitments are not honoured.
Labour watchers say the outcome of this standoff will send a strong signal across Nigeria’s oil and gas sector about how worker rights and corporate accountability are managed in the private energy space.
