The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has criticised Vice President Kashim Shettima over his comments condemning the union’s industrial action against the Dangote Refinery.

Shettima, speaking at the opening of the 2025 Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja, described Aliko Dangote as a national institution and a vital pillar of Nigeria’s economy. He warned that no group should hold the country hostage over what he called a minor labour dispute, stressing that “Nigeria is greater than PENGASSAN.”

In response, PENGASSAN President Festus Osifo said the nation was also bigger than Dangote and the Presidency, maintaining that the union would continue to defend the rights of its members. “We have a mandate to protect the jobs of our members, and we will discharge that duty whenever necessary,” he stated.

Osifo, who also serves as President of the Trade Union Congress, insisted that if similar situations arose in the future, the union would respond with the same approach. The group’s General Secretary, Lumumba Okugbawa, added, “Is Nigeria not bigger than any individual or institution?”

Last week, PENGASSAN shut down major oil and gas facilities after alleging that Dangote Refinery dismissed about 800 workers for joining the union. The company denied the claim, saying only a few employees were relieved for acts of sabotage as part of a reorganisation exercise.

The strike, which disrupted fuel supply and reduced power generation, was later suspended following government intervention and assurances that the affected workers would be redeployed to other Dangote Group units.

Meanwhile, protesters under the banner of Partners for National Economic Progress (PANEP) staged a rally in Kaduna in support of the Dangote Refinery, accusing PENGASSAN of attempting to sabotage the nation’s local refining efforts. The group urged the Federal Government to protect the refinery and end fuel importation to strengthen domestic production.

In a related development, PENGASSAN reportedly dissolved its Nigerian Gas Infrastructure Company (NGIC) and Nigerian Gas Marketing Limited (NGML) branch leadership for failing to cut gas supply to the refinery during the strike. The affected members, however, appealed the decision, citing safety concerns and the presence of security operatives at gas facilities.

Dangote Refinery, in a statement, thanked President Bola Tinubu for his timely intervention, commending government officials and security agencies for restoring calm in the energy sector and ensuring business continuity.