Abuja: The Federal Government of Nigeria has successfully brokered a peace deal between the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited, ending the industrial dispute that had threatened to disrupt the nation’s energy supply. This was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Head of Information and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Mrs Patience Onuobia.
According to Voice of Nigeria, following the agreement, PENGASSAN has begun the process of calling off the strike, which started on Monday, 29 September 2025. The truce provides that Dangote Refinery will immediately commence re-absorbing the disengaged workers into other companies within the Dangote Group without any loss of pay.
The peace accord was reached after a conciliation meeting convened by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi, following PENGASSAN’s threat to halt gas supply to Dangote Refinery and withdraw services nationwide over the disengagement of its members. The meeting, which began on Monday, 29 September at the Ministry of Labour and Employment, concluded on Tuesday, 30 September 2025, at the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA).
In a communique signed by Minister Dingyadi, the parties resolved that ‘Unionisation is the right of workers under Nigerian law and must be respected’. After reviewing the procedure used in the disengagement of the workers, the meeting agreed that the management of Dangote shall immediately commence the process of re-absorbing the affected staff into other companies within the Dangote Group, with no loss of pay. No worker will be victimised for their role in the dispute. PENGASSAN agreed to begin the process of calling off the strike. Both parties reached this understanding in good faith.
The meeting was attended by key stakeholders including the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), and the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.
Earlier, the leadership of PENGASSAN explained that its decision to halt gas supply and withdraw services stemmed from the termination of over 800 members by the management of Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited. The management of Dangote, however, clarified that the disengagement was part of its ongoing re-organisation.