By Muhammad Mamman
Dangote Refinery has accused the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) of engaging in “lawlessness and criminality” after the union directed its branches to halt gas and crude oil supplies to the refinery.
In a strongly worded statement on Friday, the refinery described the union’s move as “a brazen, shocking display of lawlessness” that could plunge the country into “mayhem, chaos and anarchy”.
The company said its attention was drawn to a circular issued by PENGASSAN on 26 September 2025, instructing members across several oil and gas companies — including TotalEnergies, Seplat, Renaissance, Chevron, Oando, Shell Nigeria Gas and NGIC — to cut off gas supply to the Nigerian Gas Infrastructure Company and shut down crude deliveries to Dangote Refinery.
The directive also reportedly ordered all branch chairmen to ensure immediate compliance and report progress to the association.
Dangote condemned the action, insisting PENGASSAN has “no legal authority” to interfere in supply contracts between the refinery and its vendors. It warned that such interference constitutes “criminal conduct and economic sabotage” capable of worsening hardship for Nigerians.
“Nigeria is a country governed by laws,” the statement stressed. “No law permits PENGASSAN to disrupt the supply of products such as aviation fuel, petrol, kerosene, diesel and cooking gas, which are essential to daily life.”
The refinery further accused the union of abandoning its earlier pledge to pursue lawful means of resolving disputes and instead choosing “mob action” detrimental to the public interest.
