Vice President Kashim Shettima on Monday slammed the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) for allegedly holding the country to ransom over what he described as a “minor labour dispute,” amid the ongoing face-off involving the Dangote Refinery.
Speaking at the opening of the Nigerian Economic Summit 2025 in Abuja, Shettima declared that the 650,000-barrel-per-day Dangote Refinery, a $20 billion private investment, was too crucial to Nigeria’s economic survival to be disrupted by what he called “union arrogance or ego battles.”
Shettima’s remarks came days after PENGASSAN members embarked on an industrial action, affecting fuel supply and refinery operations, accusing the Dangote Group of labour violations and anti-union activities.
The strike triggered a wave of public outcry, with fears that it could worsen the country’s already fragile energy situation.
SaharaReporters had also reported how the strike by PENGASSAN led to the hike of the price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), popularly known as cooking gas in Lagos State.
SaharaReporters learnt that the price had skyrocketed to between ₦1,700 and ₦2,300 per kilogram.
Speaking on the developments, the Vice President said, “Aliko Dangote, he’s not an individual, he’s an institution, and he’s a leading light in Nigeria’s economic parliament. And how we treat this gentleman will determine how outsiders will judge us. If he had invested $10billion in Microsoft, in Amazon, or in Google, he probably might be worth $70 to $80billion by now.
“But he opted to invest in his country, and we owe it to future generations to jealously protect, promote, preserve, and protect the interests of this great Nigeria.
“I wish to call for caution, retrospection, and a deeper sense of patriotism from both labour and the organised private sector in defining and improving the relationship between labour and industry in the interest of maintaining our steadily improving economic fortunes.
“It’s not about holding the whole nation to ransom because of a minor labour dispute.
“Nigeria is greater than PENGASSAN. Nigeria is greater than each and every one of us. I’m not coming to you as a partisan.”
Earlier in his remarks, Olaniyi Yusuf, Chairman of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), lamented that foreign direct investment (FDI) into Nigeria remains weak and fragile, despite marginal improvements in the country’s fiscal outlook.
Yusuf warned that the treatment of local investors would ultimately determine how foreign investors perceive Nigeria’s economic credibility and stability.
He emphasised that policy consistency, investment protection, and transparent mechanisms for resolving business disputes are essential to rebuilding investor confidence and restoring trust in the Nigerian economy.
“How we treat domestic investors will provide the right signals for foreign investors,” Yusuf said.
He urged the government to prioritise clarity and continuity in economic policy.
