House of Reps Slams PENGASSAN Over Order to Cut Off Gas, Crude Supply to Dangote Refinery

In a dramatic twist to Nigeria’s oil and gas crisis, the House of Representatives Committee on Downstream Petroleum Resources has lashed out at the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) for directing some of its branches to halt gas and crude oil supplies to the $20 billion Dangote Refinery.

The committee, in a statement shared via its official X (formerly Twitter) handle, condemned the union’s decision, warning that such action threatens national energy security and risks plunging the country into another round of fuel scarcity and economic instability.

PENGASSAN had issued the directive as part of its ongoing industrial action over unresolved labor grievances, sparking concerns that the standoff could cripple operations at Africa’s largest refinery.

Lawmakers, however, described the move as “ill-timed and reckless,” urging the union to reconsider its stance and return to the negotiation table with the Federal Government. They stressed that shutting down supply to a strategic national asset like the Dangote Refinery could sabotage ongoing efforts to stabilize fuel availability and reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported petroleum products.

Industry observers fear that if the dispute lingers, it could derail the refinery’s operations and inflict further hardship on Nigerians already grappling with high energy costs.