…Seeks Protection for Private Investments
By Mercy Gadia Adi
The House of Representatives has resolved to intervene in the industrial dispute between the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the Dangote Refinery, which recently disrupted the supply and distribution of petroleum products across the country.
The resolution followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance co-sponsored by Alhassan Doguwa (Kano) and Abdussamad Dasuki (Sokoto) during plenary on Tuesday.
The motion, titled “Need to Protect Private Investment from Adversarial Unionism,” drew the attention of lawmakers to the strategic importance of the $20 billion Dangote Refinery, described as the largest privately owned petroleum refinery in Africa.
The dispute between PENGASSAN and the refinery had led to an industrial action that commenced on September 29, 2025, disrupting operations and resulting in a reported daily loss of about 200,000 barrels of crude oil over three days. The disruption also worsened fuel scarcity in several states, causing long queues at filling stations and hardship for motorists.
Presenting the motion, Doguwa stressed the need to safeguard the refinery given its crucial role in the country’s economic growth and energy stability.
He said, “The Dangote Refinery is a strategic private investment of immense national importance, with the potential to guarantee energy security, reduce import dependency, generate employment, and conserve foreign exchange.”
Doguwa further reminded the House that the refinery operates within a Free Trade Zone and is therefore regulated under the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) Act.
Citing Section 18(5) of the Act, he said, “Employment in the Free Zone shall be governed by rules and regulations made by the Authority and not subject to the provisions of any enactments relating to employment matters.”
He added, “Actions by labour unions that disregard the legal protections conferred on Free Zones not only constitute a breach of law but also create a hostile investment environment that may deter future local and foreign investors.”
The lawmaker warned that persistent disruptions of private investments of national importance by “adversarial unionism” could erode investor confidence and threaten economic stability.
In his contribution, Ahmad Jaha (Chibok/Damboa/Gwoza) urged the House to tread cautiously, saying, “While the concerns raised are genuine, the timing of a probe may not be appropriate at this stage.”
After deliberations, the House mandated its leadership to broker peace between PENGASSAN and the Dangote Refinery in the interest of the nation.
It also urged the Federal Ministries of Labour and Employment, Industry, Trade and Investment, and Justice to jointly develop a national framework to safeguard strategic private investments from unlawful industrial actions.
The House further directed the Ministry of Justice and NEPZA to ensure full enforcement of Section 18(5) of the NEPZA Act in all Free Zone operations across the country.