PENGASSAN Strike at Dangote Refinery Suspended by Court
The National Industrial Court in Abuja on Monday issued an interim injunction halting the ongoing nationwide strike by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) against Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE.
Presiding over the case, Justice Emmanuel Sublim stated that the industrial action was designed to disrupt the refinery’s operations by cutting off crude oil and gas supplies. He warned that such actions could inflict significant harm on the country’s economy, and therefore, ordered the union to immediately suspend the strike.
The ruling followed an ex-parte application submitted by George Ibrahim (SAN), legal counsel to the refinery.
In addition to restraining PENGASSAN, the court also barred three regulatory bodies—the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC)—from implementing any directives from the union that could disrupt crude or gas supplies to the refinery.
Justice Sublim concurred with the refinery’s argument that the strike posed a threat of irreparable damage if not swiftly curtailed. He stressed the importance of preserving the current situation until the court rules on the substantive motion.
The court also instructed that all parties involved be promptly served with the interim order and accompanying legal documents.
The case has been adjourned to October 13, 2025, for hearing of the motion on notice.
