Nigeria TV Info 

PENGASSAN, NUPENG vs Dangote Refinery: When Unionism Crosses Into Economic Sabotage

The standoff between the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), and the Dangote Refinery is raising alarms about the cost of union disputes on Nigeria’s economy. While trade unions are meant to protect workers’ rights, their recent confrontations with the refinery appear less about labor justice and more about maintaining entrenched power and control.

The Dangote Refinery, Africa’s largest industrial project, promises to curb fuel import dependence, stabilize the energy sector, create jobs, and save billions in foreign exchange. Yet union-led threats and strikes risk undermining its potential. Experts warn that such tactics, including fuel hoarding and supply disruptions, amount to economic sabotage rather than legitimate labor advocacy.

Critics argue that PENGASSAN and NUPENG’s militancy is hypocritical, noting years of inaction while Nigeria’s fuel sector suffered under subsidy abuses and import cartels. Calls are growing for government intervention, emphasizing that while workers’ rights are vital, the national interest must take precedence. Observers say that unions opposing a Nigerian-owned refinery with nationwide benefits are acting against the public good, not in its defense.