“PENGASSAN Shutdown Is a National Security Threat, But No Need to Panic — Dan Kunle”

Energy policy expert, Dan Kunle, has warned that any attempt by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) to cripple operations at the Dangote Refinery would strike at the heart of the nation’s economy and directly punish millions of ordinary Nigerians.

Speaking in an interview with Arise News on Monday, September 29, 2025, Kunle reassured Nigerians that there was no immediate threat of fuel scarcity, urging citizens to resist panic buying amid heated tensions between the powerful oil workers’ union and the management of Africa’s largest refinery.

> “Don’t panic, there will be petrol,” Kunle declared firmly. “If PENGASSAN members follow the directives and shut down everywhere, that in itself becomes a national security matter. It is an indictment of PENGASSAN because it means they want to put the Nigerian people in distress.”

Kunle, a seasoned industry analyst, stressed that the crisis goes beyond an ordinary labour dispute, warning that the implications of a nationwide shutdown could spiral into a full-blown economic emergency.

He noted that while the refinery’s current output and reserves could sustain national demand in the short term, deliberate union action could destabilise the fuel supply chain, trigger hoarding, and worsen inflationary pressures.

“A refinery of Dangote’s size and importance cannot be allowed to fall into unnecessary crises,” he said. “Any disruption of that magnitude would ripple across every sector—transport, manufacturing, agriculture—because energy is the engine of the economy.”

Kunle accused the union of weaponising ordinary Nigerians’ daily struggle for survival in pursuit of its grievances, describing such tactics as “reckless and unnecessary.”

He warned that halting operations would not just restrict access to petrol and diesel but would paralyse economic activity, deepen hardship, and frustrate government efforts to stabilise the economy.

“PENGASSAN must understand that when they threaten to shut down the refinery, they are not targeting government officials but ordinary Nigerians who rely on fuel to move, to work, and to feed their families,” he argued.

The energy expert urged the Federal Government to step in decisively, describing the refinery as a strategic national asset whose smooth operation was tied to Nigeria’s economic security and stability.

“The government cannot stand by and watch a private investment of such magnitude—on which the livelihoods of millions depend—be held hostage. National interest must be the overriding factor in negotiations,” he cautioned.

Kunle concluded by calling for restraint on all sides, appealing to both the union and the refinery’s management to resolve their differences without plunging Nigerians into yet another avoidable crisis.