Reps forms committee to end PENGASSAN-Dangote Refinery dispute, safeguard Nigeria’s energy future

The House of Representatives has established an ad-hoc committee, led by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, to mediate the ongoing conflict between the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the Dangote Refinery.

This move follows the adoption of a motion on urgent public importance, jointly sponsored by Rep. Alhassan Ado Doguwa and Rep. Abdulsamad Dasuki, titled “The Need to Protect Strategic Private Investments from Adversarial Unionism,” during Tuesday’s plenary session.

Rep. Doguwa expressed deep concern over the recent strike by PENGASSAN against the Dangote Refinery, located in the Lekki Free Trade Zone, Lagos.

The industrial action disrupted operations at the $20 billion facility, the largest single-train refinery globally.

He highlighted that the strike caused a temporary halt in crude oil production, with an estimated loss of 200,000 barrels per day over three days.

This disruption worsened the nationwide fuel supply crisis, leading to scarcity and long queues at petrol stations, impacting millions of Nigerians.

Dogowa emphasized that the Dangote Refinery is a strategic private investment critical for enhancing energy security, reducing fuel import dependency, generating jobs, and conserving foreign exchange.

He further pointed out that the refinery operates within a Free Trade Zone under the regulatory framework of the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA), which limits the scope of union actions as specified in Section 18(5) of the NEPZA Act. Ignoring these legal protections, Doguwa warned, could foster a hostile investment climate detrimental to Nigeria’s economy.

The House expressed its concern that persistent unlawful disruptions by unions could jeopardize vital economic assets and erode investor confidence essential for national growth.

Following the motion, the House urged its leadership to intervene and broker peace between PENGASSAN and Dangote Refinery, prioritizing Nigeria’s national interest.