The Nigerian government, through the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA), has prohibited the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) from embarking on industrial actions within Free Trade Zones (FTZs) — a regulation that directly affects the Dangote Refinery.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday, NEPZA Managing Director Olufemi Ogunyemi stated that strikes and lockouts are banned for a period of ten years from the commencement of operations in any FTZ.
Citing Section 18(5) of the NEPZA Act, Ogunyemi said the law clearly stipulates that there shall be “no strikes or lockouts for a period of ten years following the commencement of operations within a Zone,” adding that any trade dispute within a zone must be resolved by the Authority.
He emphasized that while the law restricts strikes, workers retain their right to unionize and engage in collective bargaining.
The clarification follows the recent strike by PENGASSAN over the alleged mass sacking of Nigerian workers at the Dangote Refinery. The industrial action, which lasted two days, was suspended after the Federal Government intervened and brokered a truce between the union and the refinery’s management.
Ogunyemi added that the dispute has now been de-escalated, reaffirming that Dangote Refinery remains a declared FTZ, benefiting from tax incentives and customs waivers as part of government efforts to strengthen the economy.
