ABUJA — The National Industrial Court sitting in Abuja yesterday restrained the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASAN, from embarking on its planned industrial action against Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE.
The order came last night as both parties were locked in a reconciliation meeting convened by the Federal Government to resolve contentious issues between them. At press time last night,it was learned that the meeting was still on, with no agreement reached between both parties.
However, the court, in a ruling delivered by Justice Emmanuel Subilim, made the order, following an ex-parte application filed before it by Dangote Refinery
Other defendants in the matter included the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Ltd, NNPCL, Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum, NDMP, as well as the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC.
The court specifically barred the defendants from cutting crude and gas supply to Dangote Refinery.
In the motion filed through a team of lawyers, led by Mr. Ogwu Onoja, SAN, Dangote Refinery applied for an order of interim injunction to restrain the 1st defendant, its members, agents, servants, privies, representatives, assigns or whatsoever and, howsoever, called, from calling or directing the halt of crude and gas supply to the claimant, under any guise.
The order is also to stop them from embarking on any industrial action against the claimant, with a view to crippling, blocking roads or obstructing the flow of vehicular movement, shutting down operations of the claimant or licensees of the 2nd to 4th defendants named in the 1st defendant’s directives dated September 26, 2025 or by any means frustrating the businesses/activities of the claimant/Applicant, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
The litigant equally sought an order of interim injunction restraining the 2nd – 4th defendants, their employees, members, agents, servants, privies, representatives, licensees, assigns or whatsoever and howsoever called, from giving effect to the directives of the 1st defendant to halt the supply of crude and gas to the claimant or joining, continuing, embarking on, or in any manner participating in the planned industrial action of the 1st defendant and its affiliates and cronies, or any other strike whatsoever, against the claimant/Applicant, with a view to frustrating her businesses and operations, pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.
Dangote Refinery told the court that it is a petroleum production and or distribution company licensed to own, operate and produce petroleum and petrochemical products for the consumption of the Nigerian public, and whose business provides essential services to the economy and the general public.
Dangote alleges sabotage at refinery
It averred that recently, there had been incidents of sabotage by some employees at its plant, which brought up issues of grave health concern and safety of human lives.
According to the claimant, its management came to an irresistible conclusion that there should be re-organisation in the plant, which led to relieving some of its staff of their employment, with same communicated to all staff by a memo dated September 25, 2025.
Counsel to the claimant further told the court that in the early hours of September 26, the claimant received online reports that it laid workers off because they joined the 1st defendant’s union.
He said the management of the claimant, through a press statement, debunked the allegation and explained that the company is not averse to its members joining unions as such was within their constitutional rights.
He disclosed that the claimant has over 3,000 Nigerians in its workforce, insisting that only a negligible number of staff members were affected by the re-organisation occasioned by sabotage and safety concerns.
The lawyer equally told the court that by a letter dated September 26 and circulated online, the 1st defendant, through its General Secretary, Mr. Lamumba Okugbawa, wrote to the Minister of Petroleum and Gas, and warned that the 1st defendant and its members will take action that will force Dangote Refinery to its knees should it fail to recall affected staff which was described in the said letter as over 800.
“The 1st Defendant issued a press statement on September 26, 2025, wherein it erroneously referred to the laying off of the workers by the Claimant as anti-labour practices, alleging that the workers were being victimised because they joined the 1st Defendant as members of the union which is not correct.
“Irrespective of the explanation offered by the Claimant in Exhibit DR3, the 1st Defendant became more provoked and directed its executives and members in the licensees of the 2nd – 4th Defendants through whom the Claimant accesses crude and gas for its plant to stop supplying gas to the Claimant.
“The 2nd – 4th Defendants are on standby to carry out the directives of the 1st Defendant through their agents and licensees as mentioned in Exhibit DR6, with a view to stopping the supply of gas and crude oil to the Claimant in order to halt its business and operation as threatened unless the Honourable Court intervenes.
“The 1st Defendant is going to make good its threat to shut down operations of the Claimant, knowing the strength of its membership across the country unless the Honourable Court intervenes.
“The Claimant’s plant was constructed with over 20 billion UD Dollars by its promoters to solve the energy problem of Nigeria that has been lingering for decades and has been sailing with good results to consumer satisfaction and have been making significant contribution to the economy of Nigeria, but the 1st Defendant if allowed to make good its threat, will undoubtedly plunge Nigeria into the dark days of energy dearth and crisis and again, jeopardise the livelihood of Nigerian’s end users and consumers and negatively impact on the economy
“The 1st Defendant, its members and protegees in the services of the 2nd – 4th Defendants have perfected plans to embark on an industrial action which will cripple operations and services of the Claimant to the Nigerian public as well as the economy.
“The 1st Defendant has not engaged the Claimant with respect to a dispute, if any, before championing and calling for an industrial action against the Claimant, contrary to the extant laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the claimant further averred.
In his ruling, Justice Subilim held that the balance of convenience was in favour of the Applicant as the continuation of the strike would irreparably damage its business and cripple the provision of essential services to the Nigerian public.
He held that it was in the interest of justice for the court to restrain the defendants so as to preserve the industrial peace and aid the continuous provision of essential services to the Nigerian public, pending the determination of the substantive suit.
Consequently, the court ordered the service of the restraining order and motion on notice, on the defendants.
While adjourning the case till October 13 for hearing, the court held that the interim order will have a seven-day life span.
Oil and gas majors crippled by strike
It was gathered that all major gas companies, including NNPCL, and TotalEnergies, have been crippled. One of the consequences of this is that DISCOs will be affected if they have not yet been.
According to PENGASSAN’s General Secretary, Lamumba Okugbawa, “the compliance level of our members to the ongoing strike has been very high and encouraging.”
It added the number of its members sacked had risen to 997.
PENGASSAN barricades NNPCL Towers, NMDPRA, NUPRC as nationwide strike begins
Members of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association, PENGASSAN, had earlier yesterday, barricaded the premises of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, Abuja, in compliance with the directives from its national executive committee for a nationwide industrial action.
Our correspondent on the ground at the scene of the protest spotted union members singing solidarity songs, while gathering at the NNPCL office and those of the oil and gas regulators.
The union members blocked the gate into the premises, just as their colleagues at the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA, also blocked the entrance into their premises.
Same situation was seen at the headquarters of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC.
We are not aware of any court order —PENGASSAN
Reacting to the court injunctkion last night, PENGASSAN said: “Our attention has been drawn to rumours making rounds on a court injunction restraining our noble exercise. I want to unequivocally state that we have not been served anything of such. Court orders or processes are served via court bailiff and not through social media.”
The junion ordered its members to disregard the rumours and continue with the strike.
“All comrades are, therefore, directed to continue with the industrial action until further instruction. Only information coming through our official channels should be regarded as authentic,’’ it added.
NLC orders nationwide strike mobilisation against Dangote
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has ordered full-scale mobilisation of its affiliate unions for a nationwide strike against what it described as Dangote Group’s “deliberate anti-worker crusade” and disregard for Nigeria’s labour laws.
The directive, issued in an internal memo signed by NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, yesterday, said the time for “pleading and fruitless dialogue” with the conglomerate was over, adding that the moment had come for “decisive, collective action.”
The memo read: “The ongoing disputes with PENGASSAN and NUPENG are only symptoms of a deeper problem, a systemic anti-labour policy of union-busting, worker exploitation and disregard for the rule of law that defines the Group’s industrial relations practices.
“For too long, the Dangote Group has operated like a state within a state, flouting Section 40 of the Nigerian Constitution, violating ILO Conventions 87 and 98, and treating our labour laws with contempt. Its facilities have become plantations of exploitation where workers’ dignity is deliberately crushed in pursuit of profit for a few.
“The time for pleading and fruitless dialogue is over. The moment for decisive, collective action is now. All affiliate unions are, hereby, placed on immediate and full alert, begin vigorous and comprehensive unionisation of all workers within Dangote facilities under your jurisdiction. This is a strategic priority.
“Commence preparations to mobilise members and resources for full-scale, decisive engagement against Dangote Group’s anti-labour stance.
“To enforce the directive, each affiliate union has been instructed to immediately set up an action mobilisation committee and liaise with the NLC national secretariat within 72 hours to coordinate strategy, logistics and communication. Unity of purpose and action is non-negotiable.’’
VANGUARD.
