In a dramatic showdown rocking Nigeria’s energy sector, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has declared a nationwide strike starting Monday, September 29, 2025. The bold move comes in response to the alleged mass firing of over 800 Nigerian workers by Dangote Refinery — Africa’s largest oil refining giant.
PENGASSAN accuses the refinery of violating labour laws and replacing Nigerian employees with more than 2,000 foreign workers, sparking outrage and fears of a crippling fuel shortage across the country. The union has ordered all members to cease operations immediately, including key control rooms and field locations, threatening to bring the refinery’s massive 650,000-barrel-per-day capacity to a grinding halt.
The strike has set off alarm bells nationwide, with motorists, industries, and policymakers bracing for a severe fuel scarcity that could paralyze the economy. The union insists the shutdown will continue until the sacked workers are reinstated, calling on the government to step in urgently.
As tensions soar, Nigeria stands at a critical crossroads — will this standoff escalate into a full-blown fuel crisis, or can swift intervention restore peace before the taps run dry?
