The federal government has stepped in to calm growing tensions in the oil and gas sector after meeting with the management of Dangote Refinery and other key stakeholders over ongoing disputes.
According to a statement released on Sunday by Mohammed Manga, Director of Information and Public Relations at the Ministry of Finance, the meeting was chaired by Wale Edun, Minister of Finance, and included Zacch Adedeji, Chairman of the Crude and Refined Product Sales in Naira Sub-Committee and Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).
Other top officials at the meeting were Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, representatives of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)**, and the **African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank).
The meeting focused on developments in the downstream oil sector, particularly the naira-for-crude initiative. Two pressing issues were highlighted:
- The reported suspension of the naira-for-crude oil arrangement by Dangote Refinery.
- Concerns raised by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) regarding the refinery.
The government confirmed that the suspension issue had been amicably resolved, and assured Nigerians there would be no disruption in the supply of refined petroleum products**.
The committee also reaffirmed that the crude oil-for-naira initiative will continue and stressed that disputes involving PENGASSAN and Dangote Refinery are being handled with urgency and “in good faith.”
On September 26, 2025, Dangote Refinery briefly halted the sale of petrol in naira, blaming it on the depletion of its crude-for-naira allocation. The suspension was lifted two days later after federal government intervention.
Meanwhile, a bigger crisis is brewing with PENGASSAN, which has directed its members to begin a nationwide strike over the dismissal of more than 800 workers by Dangote Refinery.
Although the refinery admitted to sacking some workers, it insisted that “only a small number were affected” as part of a reorganisation exercise.
The federal government says it remains fully committed to ensuring energy security, consumer protection, and stability in the domestic petroleum market. Officials have promised quick action to resolve the labour dispute and maintain steady fuel supply across the country.
