The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has declared its support for the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) in the ongoing dispute with Dangote Refinery, threatening to embark on a nationwide strike if the company does not reverse recent sackings.

In a statement issued on Sunday, September 28, TUC Secretary General Nuhu Toro accused Dangote Refinery of anti-labour practices, including the dismissal of over 800 workers who voluntarily joined PENGASSAN.

The TUC demanded an immediate reversal of the sackings, as well as a public apology from Dangote Refinery. The union also placed all its affiliates on standby for a nationwide industrial action should management fail to comply.

“We stand in full solidarity with the affected workers and with their union, our affiliate PENGASSAN, whose members have been victimised merely for declaring membership,” the statement read. “Such actions amount to a direct assault on Section 40 of the Nigerian Constitution and on Nigeria’s obligations under International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions. No corporation, regardless of size or wealth, will be allowed to trample on the dignity and rights of Nigerian workers.”

PENGASSAN had earlier declared a nationwide strike, instructing members to cut gas and crude supply to Dangote Refinery. In response, the refinery described the move as “economic sabotage.”

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has called on both Dangote Refinery and PENGASSAN to embrace dialogue in resolving the dispute.

The showdown between labour unions and one of Nigeria’s biggest private-sector employers sets the stage for a potentially disruptive nationwide strike if no resolution is reached.