An economist, Kelvin Emmanuel, has criticised the ongoing strike by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), warning that the industrial dispute with the Dangote Refinery could undermine investor confidence in Nigeria.
He also called on labour unions to shift greater focus toward the plight of low-income oil workers such as fuel attendants and tanker drivers, many of whom earn below the national minimum wage.
Speaking on Channels Television on Tuesday, Emmanuel cautioned that the standoff between PENGASSAN and Dangote poses risks to Nigeria’s global image and questions the assurances repeatedly given by President Bola Tinubu to foreign investors.
“Whatever happens with this impasse will speak volumes to foreign investors.
” Investors are asking if it makes sense to deploy capital to Nigeria’s real sector only to be held to ransom,” he said.
While acknowledging workers’ rights to organise, Emmanuel argued that unions such as PENGASSAN, the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) have neglected the welfare of low-income workers in the petroleum distribution chain.
According to him, over 100,000 fuel attendants at more than 30,000 retail filling stations across the country earn as little as ₦25,000 to ₦30,000 monthly, far below the ₦70,000 statutory minimum wage. Tanker drivers, he added, earn between ₦60,000 and ₦70,000 monthly, which still falls short of decent living standards.
“Are they not oil and gas workers? Why are PENGASSAN and NUPENG not fighting for their rights? Many attendants depend on tips from customers to survive,” he queried.
Emmanuel further defended Dangote Refinery’s right to restructure its operations, stressing that as a private enterprise, the company is not bound by the same obligations as state-owned corporations like the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC). He alleged that the refinery had suffered months of internal sabotage, which necessitated management’s decision to reorganise.
“Dangote is not NNPC, not the government. The company has the right to hire and fire,” he maintained, adding that the current strike action was “unlawful” and contrary to due process outlined in the Trade Union Act.
Despite the economist’s concerns, PENGASSAN has vowed to press on with its nationwide strike, even in the face of a restraining order issued by the National Industrial Court. In a memo signed by its General Secretary, Lumumba Okugbawa, the union dismissed reports of a valid injunction and directed members to sustain the action until further notice.
The escalating dispute has heightened tensions within Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, raising fears of potential supply disruptions and further economic uncertainty.
