Dangote Petroleum Refinery has raised alarm over the recent directive issued by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) to cut crude oil and gas supplies to its facility.
The company warned that such an action could plunge the country into fresh rounds of fuel scarcity while inflicting huge revenue losses on government coffers.
In a statement released on Saturday, the refinery described the directive as “criminal, reckless, and an act of economic sabotage.” It cautioned that enforcing the order would disrupt the nationwide supply of essential petroleum products, including petrol, diesel, aviation fuel, kerosene, and cooking gas – commodities critical to both households and industries.
“The sudden disruption of supply will translate into insufferable hardship for millions of Nigerians,” the company stressed, adding that every segment of society would be affected. It further questioned whose interests PENGASSAN was serving, insisting it was not in the interest of the Nigerian public.
Beyond the hardship to citizens, Dangote Refinery emphasized that government revenue would also take a hit. As one of the country’s biggest taxpayers, the company noted that any halt in its operations would undermine contributions to the national purse and discourage investor confidence in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
Highlighting its strategic importance, the refinery described itself as Africa’s only facility of its kind, saying it should be seen as a national asset deserving protection rather than obstruction. It warned that the disruption constitutes “economic sabotage against the Nigerian State at multiple levels.”
The company also argued that PENGASSAN has no legal authority to interfere in supply contracts between the refinery and its vendors. It called such interference a violation of the rule of law, stressing that these agreements were not entered into with PENGASSAN.
Calling on the Federal Government and security agencies to act swiftly, Dangote Refinery urged Nigerians to note the “unquantifiable and irredeemable hardship” that could arise if the directive is enforced. It further appealed to PENGASSAN to embrace legal and amicable resolution rather than actions that could push the nation toward energy shortages, fuel queues, and price hikes.
