Dangote Petroleum Refinery has warned that the directive by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) to suspend crude oil and gas supplies to its facility could worsen hardship for Nigerians by triggering fresh fuel scarcity, driving up prices, and cutting government revenues.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the refinery said: “The products that would be disrupted and stopped include but are not limited to aviation fuel, petrol, kerosene, diesel and cooking gas – all products that are used and required by all stripes of Nigerians and persons living in Nigeria, whether high and mighty or lowly and ordinary.”
It warned that any abrupt stoppage of supply would cause nationwide hardship. “In what circumstance would it be justified for PENGASSAN to so disrupt and introduce hardship into the living conditions of Nigerians? None that we can see,” the company said.
Beyond the immediate burden on citizens, the refinery emphasized the implications for government earnings. “Dangote Refinery is one of the largest contributors to the revenue purse of the Nigerian governments – both Federal and sub-nationals. That contribution is currently threatened by PENGASSAN and would of course be paused if and as soon as and for as long as the PENGASSAN directive is implemented by its branches,” the statement noted.
The company further argued that the order lacked legal justification. “Absolutely no law gives PENGASSAN the right to direct its branches to ‘cut off’ gas and crude oil supplies to Dangote Refinery at all. Besides, it constitutes misconduct for PENGASSAN or its members to disrupt or interfere in the contract between Dangote Refinery and its various vendors for the supply of gas and crude oil,” it stated.
Labeling the refinery a critical national resource, the statement added: “Dangote Refinery is the only refinery of its type in Africa and ordinarily should be the pride of all Nigerians as well as the governments of Nigeria. It should ordinarily have special protection and status.”
The company urged immediate government action. “We call on the Federal Government and security agencies to act swiftly. Nigerians should take note of the hardship which PENGASSAN wishes to inflict on all of us if not checked. Fuel queues, energy shortages and price hikes could quickly resurface,” it warned.
Concluding, Dangote Refinery called on PENGASSAN to embrace dialogue and pursue a lawful resolution, warning that confrontational actions could trigger unrest, destabilize the economy, and undermine investor confidence in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
