Dangote: Government slams PENGASSAN over strike, says Nigeria greater than everyone

*Vice-President Kashim Shettima asserts Nigerians owe it to their ‘future generations to jealously protect, promote, preserve and protect the interest’ of the country, including the critical national assets as the Dangote Petroleum Refinery

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

The Federal Government berated the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, (PENGASSAN) for holding the whole country to ransom over what he described as a minor labour dispute between the Association and Dangote Petroleum Refinery.

The Federal Government said the dispute could have been settled amicably instead of resorting to disruptive industrial action over Dangote Refinery.

Vice-President Kashim Shettima said this Monday, October 6, 2025, while declaring open the 31st Edition of the Nigeria Economic Summit (NESG), at the Transcorp Hilton, in Abuja, FCT.

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The Nigerian Government said the $20 billion Dangote Petroleum Refinery is a critical national asset that must be supported to function.

Shettima asserted that the counter owes it to the future generations to jealously protect, promote, preserve, and protect the Dangote Refinery for the interest of Nigerians.

Stating the Federal Government’s position on the matter, the Vice-President noted that the government would expect far-reaching recommendations from the NESG in addressing this issue.

The government is also taking steps to protect the industries and create industrial harmony for the good of Nigerian consumers, said Shettima.

He emphasised the critical importance of the 650,000-barrel-per-day (bpd) Dangote Refinery, declaring that it must be supported at all costs to succeed.

Shettima averred: “On this note, I want to dwell on something that is very dear, a very topical issue that is very dear to the heart of every Nigerian. “Aliko Dangote is not an individual; he is an institution.

“And he is a leading light in Nigeria’s economic rejuvenation… and how we treat this gentleman will determine how outsiders will judge us.”

The Vice-President stated: “If he had invested $10 billion in Microsoft, in Amazon, or in Google, probably, he might be worth $70 to $80 billion by now.

“But he opted to invest in his country, and we owe it to future generations to jealously protect, promote, preserve and protect the interest of this great Nigerian.”

He, however, urged caution, retrospection, and a deeper sense of patriotism from both Labour and the Organised Private Sector (OPS) in defining and improving the relationship between labour and industry.

According to him, this is in the interest of maintaining our steadily improving economic fortunes.

The Vice-President explained: “It’s not about holding the whole nation to ransom because of a minor Labour dispute. “Nigeria is greater than PENGASSAN. Nigeria is greater than each and every one of us.”

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Likewise, the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE) has urged the Nigerian Government to come up with a policy framework to prevent the unlawful shutdown of businesses in the country.

Dr. Muda Yusuf, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of CPPE disclosed this in a recent statement.

CPPE, an economic think-tank, said a policy to protect investors is a national economic imperative in this regard. Yusuf opined the move would further boost and strengthen investors’ confidence, and would safeguard investment from Labour union disruptions.

Protecting investors and employers is not a privilege, it is a national economic imperative, stated he.

The CEO of CPPE said: “Investors mobilise capital, create jobs, and generate the tax revenues that sustain government and society.

“Without them, there can be no sustained growth, no employment, and no national prosperity.”

Yusuf further stated: “Nigeria must, therefore, urgently institutionalise a fair, secure, and predictable business environment that protects those who take risks to create wealth.

“This is not about weakening Labour unions but about balancing rights and responsibilities to foster sustainable economic growth, social stability, and national security.”

ConsumerConnect reports the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, at the weekend, appreciated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his timely intervention in averting what it described as “the disruptive actions of PENGASSAN” against the oil-refining company.

The company in a statement said the President’s leadership, through his ministers and senior government officials, ensured the restoration of order and stability to the energy sector at a critical moment.

It said: “Dangote Refinery is grateful to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, HE Bola Tinubu, GCFR for his intervention, through his Ministers and senior officials, which resulted in the abatement of the disruptive actions of PENGASSAN against the Refinery.”

Dangote Refinery stated among the key government officials who worked “tirelessly” to restore normalcy were Nigeria’s Security Chiefs, led by the National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu; the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mr. Adeola Toyin Ajayi; and the Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Mr. Mohammed Mohammed.

The company also commended the efforts of other senior government officials, who worked “untiringly and determinedly into the wee hours of several nights to avert the declared disruption of Nigeria’s energy sector by anarchists and agents of darkness.”

These, it said, included the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Mohammed Dingyadi; the Honourable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun; the Honourable Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Bagudu; and the Honourable Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha.

“We remain very grateful to these officials for their patriotism and national service.”

Dangote Refinery as well extended heartfelt gratitude to Nigerian consumers for their overwhelming public support during the crisis.

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