Court stops PENGASSAN, others from strike

The National Industrial Court on Monday stopped the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASAN, from proceeding strike against Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals. by
The Court ruling came midway into the negotiating meeting involving PENGASSAN, NUPENG, Dangote and the Federal Government on Monday night.

The Industrial Court sitting in Abuja and presided by Justice Emmanuel subilim gave the order, following an ex-parte application filed before it by Dangote Refinery

Other defendants in the matter included the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Ltd, NNPCL, Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum, NDMP, as well as the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC.

The court specifically barred the defendants from cutting crude and gas supply to Dangote Refinery.

In the motion filed through a team of lawyers, led by Mr. Ogwu Onoja, SAN, Dangote Refinery applied for an order of interim injunction to restrain the 1st defendant, its members, agents, servants, privies, representatives, assigns or whatsoever and, howsoever, called, from calling or directing the halt of crude and gas supply to the claimant, under any guise.

The order is also to stop them from embarking on any industrial action against the claimant, with a view to crippling, blocking roads or obstructing the flow of vehicular movement, shutting down operations of the claimant or licensees of the 2nd to 4th defendants named in the 1st defendant’s directives dated September 26, 2025 or by any means frustrating the businesses/activities of the claimant/Applicant, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

The litigant equally sought an order of interim injunction restraining the 2nd – 4th defendants, their employees, members, agents, servants, privies, representatives, licensees, assigns or whatsoever and howsoever called, from giving effect to the directives of the 1st defendant to halt the supply of crude and gas to the claimant or joining, continuing, embarking on, or in any manner participating in the planned industrial action of the 1st defendant and its affiliates and cronies, or any other strike whatsoever, against the claimant/Applicant, with a view to frustrating her businesses and operations, pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.
Dangote Refinery told the court that it is a petroleum production and or distribution company licensed to own, operate and produce petroleum and petrochemical products for the consumption of the Nigerian public, and whose business provides essential services to the economy and the general public.