A group comprising prominent Nigerian rights activists, commentators and influencers have risen up to defend the Dangote refinery following the recent attacks against it by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers Association of Nigeria, the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers and the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria.
The group, among whom are the Sarkin Kano, Muhammad Sanusi, Atedo Peterside an investment banker, and the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Mathew Kukah, urged restraint and warned that an attack on the Dangote refinery would discourage investors.
In a joint statement on Tuesday, Sanusi, Kukah and 11 others said while government mediation and renewed talks had de-escalated the crisis, the episode exposed risks to investor confidence and to efforts to restore domestic refining capacity.
They warned that industrial action that undermines supply should be avoided and that legitimate competition or monopoly concerns must be addressed through statutory agencies, not by strikes.
The statement noted that the Dangote refinery had already begun easing supply pressures, offering a model that boosts local productivity and lowers costs.
Aside from Kukah, others who signed the statement included an educationist, Abubakar Mohammed; an activist, Aisha Yesufu; an economist, Arunma Oteh; an investment banker, Atedo Peterside; and an ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Dr Salamatu Suleiman.
Others are the Labour Party national women leader, Dudu Mamman Manuga; Ibrahim Waziri; Obonganwan Barbara Etim James; Opeyemi Adamolekun; Osita Chidoka; and Senator Sola Akinyede.
“We, the undersigned, note with concern the recent disputes and disruptions surrounding the Dangote refinery. Although the immediate crisis has been de-escalated through government mediation and renewed dialogue between labour and management, the episode raises important lessons for Nigeria’s economic future.
“For decades, Nigerians endured the collapse of government-owned refineries, the waste of trillions of naira in subsidies, and dependence on fuel imports. These failures left citizens exposed to scarcity, inflation, and insecurity. In this context, the Dangote refinery represents more than a private venture; it is a national symbol of what bold domestic investment can achieve.
“Already, the refinery has begun to ease supply pressures, with petrol prices in some parts of the country dropping from around N1,500 per litre to about N820—a 55 per cent reduction. This impact on transport costs and food prices offers Nigerians a glimpse of how local productivity can improve daily life. It also signals to investors at home and abroad that industry, rather than speculation, can still thrive in Nigeria. However, the strikes and threats that accompanied this transition send the wrong signals. Industrial disputes, if not carefully managed, risk discouraging both domestic and foreign investment at a time when Nigeria most needs capital and innovation. A refinery of this scale is a national lifeline, with profound consequences for jobs, energy security, and inflation,” the statement read partly.
The group urged that workers’ rights to organise and bargain must be upheld, and those rights must not be used to hold the economy hostage.
They also called for transparency and social responsibility from large investors.
“Workers’ rights must be respected. The constitution guarantees the right to organise and to demand fair treatment. No enterprise can succeed without motivated, fairly treated workers.
“Markets and productivity must be protected. The right to organise cannot become a licence to hold the economy hostage. Productive enterprises that lower costs and create jobs must be safeguarded.
“Social responsibility and accountability must remain central. Investors of this magnitude must operate transparently, uphold fair labour practices, and reinvest in the communities they serve. We also note that concerns about monopoly or market dominance should not be settled by disruptive industrial action. Nigeria has institutions, such as the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, that are mandated to assess such claims,” the statement read partly.
It added that where there are legitimate issues of pricing or dominance, the proper channel should be through statutory bodies, not strikes that harm ordinary Nigerians.
“Moreover, as has been noted, there is no legal monopoly here; others are free to invest in refining, provided they can mobilise the necessary resources and expertise.
“We commend the Federal Government, labour unions, and Dangote refinery for stepping back from confrontation and resolving this dispute through dialogue. We urge that this spirit of constructive engagement become a template for the future. At the same time, we must stress the dangers that such disruptions pose to investor confidence, economic stability, and Nigeria’s strategic interest in reducing dependency on imports.
“This crisis is not about a refinery or any other business. It is about the direction of our economy: whether we will continue in a cycle of scarcity and rent-seeking or build a future anchored in productivity, fairness, and shared prosperity. The Dangote refinery represents an audacious step forward. It should not be undermined but strengthened, as a signal to other industrialists that investing in Nigeria’s future is worthwhile,” it concluded.
PENGASSAN had last week shut down critical oil and gas facilities over allegations that the Dangote refinery sacked 800 workers who joined the union. But the Dangote refinery said it only sacked a few workers who were sabotaging the facility, saying this was part of the company’s reorganisation.
But oil and gas workers embarked on a strike in defence of their colleagues, causing the nation losses in oil and gas production as well as a drop in power generation.
The intervention of the Federal Government restored normalcy as PENGASSAN suspended the strike on Wednesday after the Dangote Group was asked to redeploy the sacked workers to other business units.
Despite the suspension of the strike that caused queues in filling stations, the price of cooking gas has yet to return to about N900 per kg, as it still sold for N2,000 in Lagos and other places two days ago.
On Monday, Vice President Kashim Shettima warned PENGASSAN against holding the country to ransom over a minor labour dispute, saying the country is bigger than the association.
But the PENGASSAN president, Festus Osifo, fired back, saying it would adopt the same approach should its workers be sacked again.
On Tuesday, the Coalition of Yoruba Students and Youth Movement staged a peaceful protest in Ibadan, in solidarity with the Dangote refinery, amid its ongoing face-off with PENGASSAN, NUPENG, and DAPPMAN, calling on President Bola Tinubu to urgently intervene.
The protest, which began early in the morning at Iwo Road Roundabout, Ibadan, in Oyo State, drew hundreds of students and youth leaders from across the South-West under various Yoruba organisations such as the National Association of Oduduwa Students, Yoruba Council Worldwide, and the Coalition of Osun State Youth and Students Association.
The protesters, who were chanting different songs to show their solidarity, marched through major routes, waving placards with inscriptions such as “Don’t Kill Dangote Refinery”, “Stop Sabotaging Fuel In Nigeria”, “#EndPENGASSAN”, “#EndDAPPMAN”, “Dangote Refinery Is A National Asset”, “#StopSabotage”, and others.
The students said the protest was aimed at drawing government attention to what they describe as a “coordinated attempt by vested interests” to frustrate the operations of the refinery.
Addressing journalists during the protest, the NAOS President and convener of COYSYM, Olalere Adetunji, called on Tinubu and relevant government agencies to intervene urgently.
“We want to use this period to appeal to the Federal Government to protect the refinery and ensure that labour and marketers’ actions do not derail Nigeria’s move toward fuel self-sufficiency,” he said.
Adetunji, in a paper addressed to Tinubu through Governor Seyi Makinde, condemned the activities of the unions and warned that continued interference could derail Nigeria’s push for self-sufficiency in petroleum refining.
“The survival and success of Dangote Refinery is crucial to achieving your administration’s vision of making Nigeria a production-driven economy rather than one dependent on importation.
“This refinery, situated within our Yoruba region, represents a symbol of industrial hope, self-reliance, and national rebirth. It deserves support and protection, not sabotage,” he submitted.
