The Federal Government has successfully brokered a peace deal between the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) after two marathon days of conciliation meetings in Abuja.
In a statement released early Wednesday, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi, confirmed that the impasse had been settled following intense negotiations involving key government officials, union leaders, and the refinery’s management.
According to the resolutions reached, workers’ rights to unionise were reaffirmed in line with Nigerian labour laws, and the Dangote Group agreed to redeploy disengaged staff to other subsidiaries within the conglomerate without loss of pay. The statement also emphasized that no worker would face victimisation for their role in the conflict, while PENGASSAN committed to begin calling off its strike action.
The government’s high-powered delegation included the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu; Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Atiku Bagudu; Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Barr. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha; Director-General of the DSS, Adeola Ajayi; and Director-General of the NIA, Ambassador Mohammed Mohammed.
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The breakthrough came after earlier talks on Monday collapsed in a deadlock, with both parties failing to reach an agreement. The dispute had centred on allegations by PENGASSAN that the refinery engaged in mass transfers and sackings of union members, while allegedly replacing some Nigerians with foreign nationals, accusations the Dangote Group strongly denied.
The strike and rising tensions sparked fears over potential disruption to Nigeria’s energy sector and broader economic stability, prompting swift government intervention. After a follow-up meeting that stretched from Tuesday afternoon until the early hours of Wednesday at the Office of the National Security Adviser, both sides finally reached a truce.
With the settlement, the Federal Government has averted what could have escalated into a damaging industrial crisis for Africa’s largest refinery project and Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
