The National Industrial Court in Abuja yesterday 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 interim order, delivered by Justice Emmanuel Subilim, followed an ex-parte application filed by Dangote Refinery amid escalating tensions with the oil workers’ union. The ruling came as the Federal Government convened a late-night reconciliation meeting in Abuja to resolve the dispute. As of press time, the talks were still ongoing without a resolution.

Other defendants in the matter include the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).

Justice Subilim specifically barred the defendants from halting crude and gas supplies to Dangote Refinery or carrying out any industrial action that could cripple its operations, obstruct vehicular movement, or frustrate its business pending the hearing of the substantive suit.

Dangote Refinery, through its counsel Ogwu Onoja (SAN), argued that the company had become a target of union directives after it laid off a number of staff over what it described as acts of sabotage and safety breaches. The management said the reorganisation exercise, announced on September 25, 2025, was not connected to union membership, as alleged by PENGASSAN.

The refinery maintains that it employs over 3,000 Nigerians, stressing that only a negligible number were affected by the restructuring. It accused PENGASSAN of misrepresenting the layoffs as anti-labour practices and of directing regulators and oil suppliers to stop crude and gas supply in retaliation.

“The 1st defendant, its members and allies within the 2nd to 4th defendants have perfected plans to embark on an industrial action which will cripple operations and services of the claimant,” the refinery told the court, warning that such action would jeopardise Nigeria’s energy stability and economic health.

Justice Subilim held that the balance of convenience was in favour of Dangote Refinery, noting that allowing the strike to continue would cause irreparable damage to its operations and disrupt essential services to the public. He adjourned the case to October 13 for hearing and ruled that the interim order would last seven days.

Despite the ruling, PENGASSAN insisted it had not been served any injunction. “Court orders or processes are served via bailiffs, not social media,” the union said in a statement, directing its members to disregard the reports and continue the strike.

Earlier yesterday, union members barricaded the headquarters of NNPCL, NMDPRA, and NUPRC in Abuja, chanting solidarity songs and blocking entrances in compliance with the nationwide strike directive. The union claims nearly 1,000 of its members have been sacked.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has also waded into the dispute, ordering full mobilisation of its affiliates for a nationwide action against what it described as Dangote Group’s “anti-worker crusade.”

In an internal memo, NLC President Joe Ajaero accused the conglomerate of union-busting and systemic exploitation of workers. “For too long, Dangote Group has operated like a state within a state, flouting Section 40 of the Constitution and ILO conventions. The time for pleading is over. The moment for decisive, collective action is now,” the memo read.

The NLC has directed all affiliate unions to begin comprehensive unionisation of Dangote workers and set up mobilisation committees within 72 hours to prepare for large-scale action.