Petrol prices have surged again across parts of the country following the collapse of talks between the Federal Government, Dangote Refinery and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).
The closed-door meeting held in Abuja on Monday ended without resolution, as confirmed by PENGASSAN President, Festus Osifo, who described the outcome in one word: “deadlock.”
By Tuesday morning, several filling stations in Abuja, including Ranoil and Empire outlets, adjusted pump prices upwards. Rates now stand between N910 and N920 per litre, compared with the previous range of N890 to N910.
The price increase coincides with an ongoing nationwide strike by PENGASSAN over the dismissal of refinery workers allegedly sacked for union membership. In a directive issued Monday night, the union’s General Secretary, Lumumba Ighotemu, instructed members to sustain the industrial action until further notice, stressing that only official communication from the association should be regarded as authentic.
The deadlock underscores the mounting pressure on Nigeria’s oil sector. The 650,000-barrel-per-day Dangote Refinery, seen as a potential game-changer for domestic fuel supply, has so far refused to reinstate the affected workers or concede to union demands. Although the refinery has not disclosed the exact number of staff laid off, it has not denied carrying out the dismissals.
Labour unrest has since spread. The Nigeria Labour Congress joined the strike action on Monday, following similar support from the Trade Union of Nigeria a day earlier. PENGASSAN has also disrupted operations at key regulatory and corporate offices in Abuja, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority.
The Federal Government, represented at the talks by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Dingyadi, has yet to release details of its intervention efforts. Calls to the ministry’s spokesperson, Patience Onuobia, went unanswered.
Industry stakeholders attribute the sudden rise in pump prices to public anxiety over the impasse. Abubakar Maigandi, President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, warned that panic buying triggered by the standoff is fueling price spikes. He urged swift government action to calm the market and prevent further hardship.
Meanwhile, despite securing an interim court order restraining PENGASSAN from continuing its strike, Dangote Refinery remains locked in confrontation with the union, which insists it is acting within its legal rights. The refinery has described the union’s actions as intimidation and “bully tactics,” but the workers have vowed to press on until their demands are met.
As the standoff deepens, Nigerians are once again left to bear the brunt, paying more for petrol while waiting for a breakthrough that remains elusive.
