The Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) has raised concerns over the impact of the ongoing feud between the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and Dangote Refinery, stating that any sustained disruption in gas supply would constrain generation capacity, affect system operations and undermine the stability and reliability of electricity supply across the country.
NISO, in a statement issued to Journalists on Sunday, decried the ongoing dispute which has resulted in a directive to suspend the supply of crude oil and natural gas to the facility.
The operator noted that the national grid relies heavily on gas-fired generation, and any sustained disruption in gas supply would constrain generation capacity, affect system operations and undermine the stability and reliability of electricity supply across the country.
“The Independent System Operator (NISO) has observed with concern the ongoing dispute between the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and Dangote Refinery, which has resulted in directives to suspend the supply of crude oil and natural gas to the facility.
“NISO wishes to draw attention to the potential implications of this action on the nation’s power sector. The national grid relies heavily on gas-fired generation, and any sustained disruption in gas supply would constrain generation capacity, affect system operations and undermine the stability and reliability of electricity supply across the country.
“While NISO is considering measures to mitigate total grid collapse, we urge all parties involved to embrace dialogue and lawful mechanisms of dispute resolution in the overall interest of the economy and the wellbeing of Nigerians at large.
“We reaffirms our commitment to ensuring a secure and reliable operation of the national grid and will continue to support wider efforts aimed at safeguarding energy security,” the Operator stated.
This follows the recent decision by the leadership of PENGASSAN to withdraw services and all processes that involve gas and crude supply to Dangote Refinery.
PENGASSAN in a letter signed by Lumumba Okugbawa, its general secretary had called on members working across field locations to withdraw services effective 06:00hrs on Sunday, 28 th of September, 2025.
This is as the association insisted that Dangote Refinery’s unilateral action to sack over 800 members for joining PENGASSAN is an affront to all workers in Nigeria and a deliberate violation of Nigeria’s labour laws, the Constitution, and ILO conventions.
The Association noted that no intervention whatsoever will be entertained across field locations except where the safety of personnel and assets is at risk.
“Dangote Refinery’s notoriety for enslaving Nigerian workers, and the eventual sack of al Nigerians working in the refinery and hiring of over 2,000 Indians, is a show of disloyalty to a country that has given him the most incentives any company has ever enjoyed in Nigeria, at taxpayers’ expense. They have subjected Nigerians to the worst type of working conditions in the oil and gas industry.
“That the over 800 staff whose jobs have been given to Indians, and their families are Nigerians and victims was made to suffer unjustly and there is an urgent need to avoid setting a dangerous precedence.
“Consequently, the NEC resolves as follows: all PENGASSAN members across all ofices, companies, institutions, and agencies should withdraw all services effective 00:01 on Monday, 29th of September, 2025.
“All processes that involve gas and crude supply to Dangote Refinery should be let off effectively immediately. All IOC branches must ramp down gas production and supply to Dangote Refinery and petrochemicals. The prayer point should include a call to God Almighty to give courage to those in authority to rein in Dangote and his co-travelers on the need to obey the laws of our country,” the Association said.
