A fresh round of reconciliation talks between Dangote Refinery and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has been relocated to the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) after Monday’s negotiations ended in a deadlock.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Mohammed Dingyadi, along with members of the PENGASSAN delegation, moved to the NSA’s office in Abuja on Tuesday for a closed-door session aimed at breaking the impasse.
Talks between the refinery’s management and union leaders, initially convened at the Labour Ministry’s headquarters, collapsed after nearly nine hours on Monday without resolution. The meeting had begun at 3:30 p.m. and stretched past midnight before both parties agreed to reconvene.
READ ALSO: Nigeria’s Internet Speed Hits 1 Terabit Per Seconds
The dispute centers on PENGASSAN’s allegations that Dangote Refinery carried out mass transfers and dismissals targeting union members, while also allegedly replacing some Nigerian staff with foreign nationals. The company has repeatedly denied the claims.
The government stepped in after growing unrest among oil and gas workers, summoning both sides to the table. PENGASSAN’s team was led by its President, Festus Osifo, alongside Trade Union Congress (TUC) General Secretary, Nuhu Toro, while Dangote Refinery was represented by senior executives.
Officials said moving the talks to the NSA’s office underscored the sensitivity of the dispute and its potential implications for industrial peace and national economic interests.
As of press time, Tuesday’s meeting was still ongoing behind closed doors, with stakeholders expressing cautious optimism that the intervention would yield a breakthrough.