Justice Emmanuel Subilim of the National Industrial Court, Abuja, has restrained the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) from embarking on its planned industrial action against Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE.
The order, delivered on Friday, followed an ex parte application filed by Dangote Refinery. The court also restrained the Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission from cutting crude and gas supplies to the refinery.
The application was argued by Senior Advocate of Nigeria George Ibrahim, who told the court that Dangote Refinery, as a licensed producer and distributor of petroleum and petrochemical products, provides essential services to the Nigerian economy and the public.
He warned that any disruption would endanger energy security and create hardship for millions of Nigerians.
Ibrahim noted that the refinery had recently faced incidents of sabotage at its plant, raising grave safety and health concerns.
He explained that management responded with a reorganisation that led to a small number of staff being relieved of their duties, a move communicated to all workers on 25 September 2025.
He said reports later emerged alleging that the dismissals were linked to union membership, with PENGASSAN claiming more than 800 workers were affected.
Dangote Refinery denied the allegation in a press statement, stressing it was not opposed to unionisation and that over 3,000 Nigerians remain in its workforce, with only a negligible number affected by the restructuring.
The lawyer also drew the court’s attention to a letter dated September 26, 2025, in which Lamumba Ighotemu Okugbawa, PENGASSAN’s General Secretary, warned the Minister of Petroleum and Gas that the union would take action to “force the refinery to its knees” unless the affected workers were reinstated.
In his ruling, Justice Subilim held that the balance of convenience favoured the refinery, as allowing the strike to proceed would irreparably harm its business and cripple the provision of essential petroleum services to the public.
He ruled that restraining the respondents was necessary to preserve industrial peace and protect energy supply pending the hearing of the substantive suit. The restraining order will last for seven days.
The judge ordered that the ruling, along with a motion on notice, be served immediately on all defendants. The case was adjourned to October 13, 2025 for hearing of the motion.
