National Industrial Court bars union, NNPCL, and regulators from disrupting crude, gas supply pending hearing
Justice Emmanuel Subilim of the National Industrial Court, Abuja, has issued a seven-day restraining order stopping the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) from proceeding with its planned industrial action against Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE.
The court also barred the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) from halting the supply of crude oil and gas to the refinery.
The ex parte application was filed by Dangote Refinery and argued by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, George Ibrahim, who told the court that any disruption in operations could cripple essential services critical to Nigeria’s economy.
In court documents, Ibrahim described the Dangote Refinery as a licensed entity that provides essential petroleum products to the Nigerian market. He said recent incidents of sabotage at the plant raised serious health and safety concerns, prompting a reorganization of staff, during which some employees were relieved of their duties.
The company stated that only a negligible number of staff were affected, and denied claims that the workers were dismissed due to union activities.
However, on September 26, PENGASSAN issued a warning letter to the Minister of Petroleum, threatening to take action that would “force the refinery to its knees” unless over 800 affected workers were reinstated — a figure the company strongly disputes.
Justice Subilim ruled that the balance of convenience favors the refinery and that any continuation of strike actions could cause irreparable damage to its operations and Nigeria’s access to essential petroleum services.
“It is in the interest of justice for this court to restrain the Respondents in order to preserve industrial peace and aid the continued provision of essential services to the Nigerian public,” the judge ruled.
The court ordered that the restraining directive be immediately served on all parties, along with a motion on notice for a full hearing.
The interim order will remain in effect for seven days, with the substantive hearing scheduled for October 13, 2025.
This development adds a legal dimension to the ongoing labour dispute between PENGASSAN and the Dangote Refinery, which has already seen nationwide protests, including the barricading of NNPCL headquarters and regulatory offices earlier this week.
PENGASSAN has accused the refinery of violating labour laws and international conventions by allegedly terminating staff for joining the union. The union’s position is that the mass sack was a form of union suppression, while the company insists it was a response to safety-related sabotage.
Earlier on Monday, both parties met with the Federal Government in a closed-door reconciliation meeting, which ended without a clear resolution.
