Dangote Group Faults PENGASSAN’s Directive to Cut Off Gas, Crude Supply
Management of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery has condemned the directive issued by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) ordering its members to halt crude oil and gas supply to the refinery, describing the move as “lawless, reckless and criminal.”
In a statement released on Saturday, Dangote Group said it had been informed of a written communication by PENGASSAN dated September 26, 2025, directing branches in TotalEnergies E&P, Seplat Producing, Renaissance, Chevron, Oando, Shell Nigeria Gas, SNG, and NGIC to shut crude supply valves, stop vessel loading operations, and cut gas supplies to the multi-billion-dollar facility.
The refinery described the union’s action as an “unprecedented display of lawlessness” which has no basis in Nigerian law or contract, warning that such disruptions amount to economic sabotage against Nigerians and the state.
“Absolutely no law gives PENGASSAN the right to direct its branches to cut off gas and crude oil supplies to Dangote Refinery or at all. The Association has no right whatsoever to disrupt or interfere with the performance of supply contracts legally entered into between the refinery and its third-party vendors,” the management said.
The company further accused PENGASSAN of criminality, noting that its directive would inflict severe hardship on millions of Nigerians by halting the supply of critical petroleum products, including petrol, aviation fuel, diesel, kerosene, and cooking gas.
According to the statement, the refinery, which is regarded as a strategic national asset and Africa’s largest of its kind, should ordinarily be a source of pride and protection for Nigeria. It warned that halting production would not only disrupt households and businesses but also embarrass the country internationally and discourage foreign investment in the oil and gas sector.
Dangote Group reminded the association that just hours before issuing its “illegal directive,” PENGASSAN had in a press release claimed it would “take all necessary legal actions” to challenge the refinery, only to abandon that path for one that “leads to mayhem and anarchy.”
The statement read in part:
“PENGASSAN’s directive amounts to economic sabotage at multiple levels. It is not in the interest of Nigeria or Nigerians but rather a reckless attempt to plunge the nation into avoidable hardship. No Nigerian household can claim it does not depend on petroleum products. The disruption of supply is therefore a direct attack on every citizen.”
While calling on the Federal Government, security agencies, and regulatory authorities to intervene urgently, the refinery urged Nigerians to resist being subjected to the consequences of what it described as “a cabal’s illicit decision.”
Dangote Group reaffirmed its commitment to national development, noting that the refinery is one of the largest contributors to government revenue at both federal and state levels.
It concluded by urging PENGASSAN to return to lawful conduct and resolve disputes through legal means, not what it termed as “anarchic directives.”