Nigeria has lost more than 600,000 barrels of crude oil in just three days following a nationwide strike over mass layoffs at the Dangote Refinery, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) confirmed on Monday.
The company’s Executive Vice President for Upstream, Bayo Ojulari, said the industrial action, called by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), made “optimum production almost impossible” as critical staff were absent from oil and gas facilities across the country.
According to Ojulari, the strike led to a deferred output of about 200,000 barrels per day, amounting to roughly 600,000 barrels over the period. “The impact was immediate and significant,” he said, adding that efforts were underway to restore operations and prevent further disruptions.
Union, Dangote Trade Accusations Over Mass Layoffs
The three-day walkout was triggered by the dismissal of around 800 refinery workers by Dangote Industries Limited. PENGASSAN accused the company of targeting employees for unionising, describing the sackings as “anti-labour and unlawful.”
Dangote Industries, however, rejected the claim, saying the layoffs were part of an ongoing restructuring exercise and accused some of the dismissed workers of “acts of sabotage.”
The refinery, a $20 billion project owned by billionaire industrialist Aliko Dangote, is central to Nigeria’s energy ambitions and is seen as a potential game-changer for fuel self-sufficiency in West Africa.
The strike’s impact rippled beyond Nigeria’s borders. With the Dangote Refinery supplying several West African markets, the shutdown threatened to tighten fuel availability regionally, adding pressure to already fragile supply networks.
Industry experts warn that even short disruptions could have broader consequences for import-dependent economies like Ghana, Benin, and Togo, which rely partly on Nigerian refined products.
