IDNN Energy & Economy Desk
Energy Monopoly Meets Labour Revolt
Nigeria’s biggest private refinery — the 650,000-bpd Dangote facility — has been the epicentre of a battle between corporate power and labour rights. The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) staged a three-day strike, cutting crude and gas supplies to the refinery and exposing systemic fragilities in Nigeria’s energy backbone.
Crude Shut-In, Power Shortfall
NNPC Ltd’s Group CEO, Bashir Ojulari, disclosed that in the first 24 hours of the strike, production losses hit 283,000 barrels of oil per day, 1.7 billion scf/d of gas, and over 1,200 MW of electricity generation. That translated into 16% of crude output, 30% of marketed gas, and 20% of national power supply wiped off the grid. Ojulari warned that continued disruptions posed “a material threat to national energy security.”
📊 Strike Fallout in Numbers
(Source: NNPC Ltd Impact Assessment, Sept 29, 2025)
- Crude Oil: 283,000 bpd shut-in (≈16% of national production).
- Gas Supply: 1.7b scf/d offline (≈30% of marketed gas).
- Power Output: 1,200 MW lost (≈20% of national electricity).
- Revenue Strain: Immediate hit on exports and cashflow; demurrage costs mounting at stalled terminals.
- Operational Delays: Maintenance projects stalled (USAN turnaround, AKPO pigging, compressor servicing).
We are only suspending, not calling off. If Dangote slips, we resume without notice,” PENGASSAN President Festus Osifo warned
WhatsApp Group Sparks Sackings
The industrial action was triggered by the dismissal of 800 workers at the Dangote Refinery, allegedly linked to a PENGASSAN-created WhatsApp group where staff were accused of sharing sensitive operational data. Management framed the sackings as a response to “sabotage,” while the union condemned it as an attack on freedom of association.
Truce Without Trust
Government mediation secured a temporary suspension of the strike, but union leaders insisted no binding deal was signed. “We are only suspending, not calling off. If Dangote slips, we resume without notice,” PENGASSAN President Festus Osifo warned. The refinery, Nigeria’s crown jewel for fuel self-sufficiency, now sits at the heart of a labour standoff that could reignite without warning.
Commercial Tag: Fragile Peace, Rising Risk
For investors and global buyers, the dispute highlights the risks of relying on a single refinery for national fuel stability. For workers, it is about wages, dignity, and union rights. And for government, it is a test of its ability to balance monopoly power with labour freedoms while keeping energy supply secure.
Graphic Caption: Dangote vs PENGASSAN: Strike shut 283k bpd crude, 1.7b scf/d gas, 1,200 MW power — truce fragile, risks remain.
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