Oluchi Chibuzor

Concerned Nigerians have warned that workers’ right to organise a protest cannot become a license to hold the nation’s economy to ransom.

In a statement titled, ‘Joint Statement on the Dangote Refinery Dispute,’ signed by13 eminent Nigerians against the backdrop of the face off between Petroleum Refinery and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the management of Dangote Refinery, they warned that productive enterprises that lower costs and create jobs must be safeguarded. 

According to the statement, the recently embarked industrial disputes, if not carefully managed, risk discouraging both domestic and foreign investment at a time when Nigeria most needs capital and innovation.

They argued that Dangote Refinery is a national lifeline with profound consequences for jobs, energy security, and inflation.

They said, “We, the undersigned, note with concern the recent disputes and disruptions surrounding the Dangote Refinery. Although the immediate crisis has been de-escalated through government mediation and renewed dialogue between labour and management, the episode raises important lessons for Nigeria’s economic future. 

“For decades, Nigerians endured the collapse of government-owned refineries, the waste of trillions of naira in subsidies, and dependence on fuel imports. These failures left citizens exposed to scarcity, inflation, and insecurity. In this context, the Dangote Refinery represents more than a private venture; it is a national symbol of what bold domestic investment can achieve. 

“However, the strikes and threats that accompanied this transition send the wrong signals. Industrial disputes, if not carefully managed, risk discouraging both domestic and foreign investment at a time when Nigeria most needs capital and innovation. A refinery of this scale is a national lifeline, with profound consequences for jobs, energy security, and inflation.”

“We wish to underscore three principles which are that workers’ rights must be respected as the Constitution guarantees the right to organise and to demand fair treatment. No enterprise can succeed without motivated, fairly treated workers. 

“Markets and productivity must be protected because the right to organise cannot become a license to hold the economy hostage. Productive enterprises that lower costs and create jobs must be safeguarded and social responsibility and accountability must remain central. Investors of this magnitude must operate transparently, uphold fair labour practices, and reinvest in the communities they serve,” they stated. 

They however, dismissed the allegation of monopoly against the refinery, saying other investors are free to invest in refining, provided they can mobilise the necessary resources and expertise. 

They argued that the Dangote refinery represents an audacious step forward for Nigeria’s economy and should not be undermined, but rather strengthened. 

“We also note that concerns about monopoly or market dominance should not be settled by disruptive industrial action. Nigeria has institutions, such as the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), that are mandated to assess such claims. 

“Where there are legitimate issues of pricing or dominance, the proper channel is through these statutory bodies, not strikes that harm ordinary Nigerians. Moreover, as has been noted, there is no legal monopoly here; others are free to invest in refining, provided they can mobilise the necessary resources and expertise,” they said.