Members of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association (PENGASSAN) on Monday barricaded the premises of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) in Abuja in compliance with the directives from its national executive committee for a nationwide industrial action.

The aggrieved union members are protesting an alleged illegal sack of over 800 Nigerian workers by the management of the Dangote refinery.

Our correspondent on the ground at the scene of the protest spotted the union members singing solidarity songs while gathering at the NNPCL office and those of the oil and gas regulators.

The union members blocked the gate into the premises, just as their colleagues at the NMDPRA also blocked the entrance into their premises.

Our correspondent also reported the same situation at the headquarters of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).

The Dangote refinery management has yet to comment on the sack of the workers.

In a circular issued after an emergency National Executive Council meeting on Saturday, September 27, 2025, and signed by General Secretary Lumumba Okugbawa, the union accused the refinery of violating Nigeria’s labour laws, the Constitution, and International Labour Organisation conventions by dismissing workers for joining the association.

It alleged the refinery had replaced the dismissed staff with “over 2,000 Indians,” calling the action “an affront to all workers in Nigeria.”

PENGASSAN directed members in field locations to down tools from Sunday, and ordered a total nationwide shutdown across offices, companies, institutions, and agencies from Monday.

“All PENGASSAN members working across field locations are to withdraw services effective 06:00hrs on Sunday, 28 September 2025, and commence 24-hour prayers. This includes all control room operations, panel operations, and outfield personnel,” the union said.

“All PENGASSAN members across all offices, companies, institutions, and agencies should withdraw all services effective 00:01 on Monday, 29th of September, 2025″, the circular read in part.