The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has directed its members nationwide to withdraw their services following the sack of over 800 Nigerian workers at the Dangote Refinery.
Mr. Lumumba Okugbawa, PENGASSAN’s General Secretary, announced this in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Sunday, September 28, 2025.
Mr. Lumumba Okugbawa, PENGASSAN’s General Secretary
He said the directive was issued after an emergency meeting of the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) held on Saturday in Abuja.
Okugbawa described the refinery’s action as a violation of Nigeria’s labour laws, the Constitution, and international conventions.
According to him, “the refinery has replaced Nigerians with over 2,000 foreign workers, subjecting our people to the worst type of working conditions in the oil and gas industry”.
He added that no man or company, no matter how highly placed, is above the law and cannot be called to order by our national institutions.
The union leader explained that NEC ordered all PENGASSAN members working across field locations to withdraw their services effective 06:00hrs on Sunday, Sept. 28, while those in offices, companies, institutions and agencies are to withdraw services from 00:01hrs on Monday, Sept. 29.
He further said that all processes involving gas and crude supply to Dangote Refinery had been suspended immediately.
Okugbawa also disclosed that the union had declared a 24-hour nationwide prayer.
“The prayer point should include a call to God Almighty to give courage to those in authority to rein in Dangote and his co-travelers on the need to obey the laws of our country,” he said.
He said that the union would not allow the sack of its members to go unchallenged.
“An injury to one is an injury to all. No man is bigger than our country,” Okugbawa said.
The Ekiti State Government on Saturday, September 27, 2025, commenced the dredging of waterways and rivers in Ado-Ekiti, to curb flooding, during the rainy season.
Chairman, Ekiti State Environmental Protection Agency (EKSEPA), Chief Bamitale Oguntoyinbo, had led board members of the agency to inspect ongoing dredging of rivers at various sites in Ado-Ekiti.
Governor Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti State
Some of the visited flood prone areas included, Iso and Oshodi streets, both along Afao Road in Ado Ekiti, while the Elemi and Iremide rivers sites that had undergone dredging were also visited.
The board members also visited the ongoing dredging at Ureje river along Olujoda, Falana down to Moferere Street and a river at GRA third extension, along new Iyin Ekiti road in Ado-Ekiti.
Reacting, the Chairman of EKSEPA, Chief Oguntoyinbo, expressed satisfaction with the job done by the engineer handling the dredging of the rivers.
“I and the board members of EKSEPA are happy and encouraged with the level of work done by the engineer handling the dredging project.
“The Governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, is very passionate about the safety of lives and properties of his people.
“He is making sure that flood does not affect residents of any community in Ado-Ekiti,” he said.
Chief Oguntoyinbo, advised residents of Ado-Ekiti to stop building houses and fences on waterways.
He urged the State Town Planning Management, to ensure that the standard of setting aside layout for waterways before building houses was uphold to curb flooding in any part of the state.
Similarly, the General Manager of EKSEPA, Mr. Olukayode Adunmo, said the rivers, before now, were dredged by three kilometres, noting that, currently, a total of 10 kilometres had further been dredged in all the rivers prone to flooding in Ado-Ekiti.
Adunmo said the purpose of the dredging was to curb destructive floods in any part of Ado-Ekiti metropolis.
“In the last two to three weeks, there has been heavy rainfall and I think residents living in the flood-prone areas have been lucky, because of Gov. Biodun Oyebanji’s prompt intervention.
“If not for his intervention, Ekiti would have been part of the states affected by flood disaster.
“But our amiable governor has been proactive to curb flooding by addressing the menace the way it should be tackled. This is why we are enjoying peace in Ekiti,” he said.
The general manager noted that the state government had embarked on flood control, since 2023 and would not relent in its efforts to keep residents living in flood prone areas safe.
To address its estimated $15 billion annual climate funding shortage, Nigeria needs robust institutional frameworks as well as resources to design, implement, and monitor its climate investments.
According to Mrs. Omotenioye Majekodunmi, Director General (DG) of the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC), this is because one of the inherent characteristics of climate finance is that it requires that society and the government have to work together to guarantee accountability and transparency in the use of the funds.
Attendees of the two-day workshop that NCCC and NIRSAL held in Abuja to assess Nigeria’s capacity needs and enhance institutional preparedness for climate funding
Speaking at a two-day workshop held in Abuja on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, and hosted by the NCCC in partnership with NIRSAL, the DG expressed her displeasure with the low amount of money flowing into Africa to tackle climate change issues. She was represented by Mrs. Bennie Ejiofor, one of her officers, who said that the continent was only able to secure less than 4% of the $1.3 trillion global climate finance flows.
“As the continent’s 4th largest economy, Nigeria must build the institutional muscle to capture a greater share,” she stated, explaining why her organisation organised the workshop to assess Nigeria’s capacity needs and improve institutional readiness for climate finance.
This is crucial because, as the DG elaborated, understanding these needs is more than just getting money; it’s about transforming Nigeria’s economy, creating green jobs, strengthening resilience, and ensuring a competitive, climate-resilient future for future generations.
The NCCC boss described the collaboration between her establishment and NIRSAL as a clear example of the innovative partnerships necessary across the finance value chain. This collaboration addresses three critical areas: institutional capacity, financial architecture, and project development.
In her remarks regarding the Green Climate Fund (GCF), Mrs. Majekodunmi intimated that the Development Bank of Nigeria’s accreditation and the Bank of Industry’s recent accreditation with the Adaptation Fund are all geared towards helping Nigeria attract more global funding.
The GCF, she added, has played a crucial role in supporting Nigeria’s climate initiatives across various sectors, particularly in contributing to the development of regional climate-resilient programmes and green financing initiatives, which are essential to ultimately achieve our Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC).
In the same vein, Abubakar Ahmed, manager of Climate Smart Agriculture at NIRSAL, emphasised the importance of strong institutional frameworks, technical competence, and coordinated action in attracting resources to implement Nigeria’s climate priorities, including NDCs.
He said that to effectively mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change, Nigeria must be positioned to mobilise, access, and deploy climate finance at a larger scale.
Ahmed went on to assert that the discussions and inputs from the capacity engagement are very crucial in determining how Nigeria positions itself to international climate finance mechanisms, not only as a recipient of funding but also as a nation prepared to allocate resources efficiently, openly, and with the greatest possible impact.
“We see this workshop as a platform to align stakeholders, share knowledge, and create pathways for stronger collaboration across MDAs and institutions,” he stated.
In his presentations, Agbo Chinonso, the technical lead and senior climate finance expert, stressed the significance of a common understanding of Nigeria’s climate finance needs, opportunities, and enhanced institutional capacity for climate finance access and management.
Among other shortcomings, he accented that financial institutions need capacity, climate risk pricing, and green financing tools. For better preparedness, he called for increased cooperation amongst important parties.
The Minister of Environment, Malam Balarabe Lawal, has solicited the support of the African Development Bank (AfDB) in funding the National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW).
The minister made the request during a bilateral meeting with AfDB’s President, Dr Sidi Ould Tah, on the sidelines of the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), in New York.
Dignitaries at the bilateral meeting with AfDB’s President, Dr Sidi Ould Tah
The meeting was at the instance of the Vice-President, Sen. Kashim Shettima.
The agency was established to address land degradation and desertification, boost food security and support communities to adapt to climate change in Sokoto, Kebbi, Kastina, Zamfara, Kano, Jigawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Yobe, Borno, and Adamawa states.
It serves as the Nigerian focal point for the actualisation of the vision of the African Union’s Great Green Wall of the Sahara and the Sahel project.
The mission of the NAGGW is to halt and reverse land degradation, prevent depletion of biological diversity, ensure that by 2025, ecosystems are resilient to climate change and continue to provide essential services that would contribute to human welfare and poverty eradication.
The minister said, “I want to appeal for the extension of your support to the Nigeria’s National Agency for Great Green Wall.
“The agency is responsible for fencing the Sahelian part of Africa to convert desertification.
“I also want to plead that you should look at what we have done so far in trying to address environmental degradation in the 11 frontline states in Nigeria.
“We have already submitted our proposal to the Ministry of Finance on the issue of clean cooking policy, which is also directly linked to the afforestation process.
“That, also, is important because it is trying to address two issues of deforestation and healt. When you go to the rural areas, most women cook with firewood, and that often expose them to health issues, and even affect the children.”
Also, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development of Nigeria, Alhaji Ahmed Dangiwa, has appealed to the AFDB boss to support the ministry in addressing housing deficit.
He added that the housing sub-sector needed a lot of funding, saying, “we want your intervention in terms of construction of housing development in Nigeria.
“Because there is a very high return in investment in Nigeria if you are investing in Agric, health and education.
“Housing is key sector to draw up a framework to ensure that you fund affordable housing to the population of the country.”
Responding, AfDB’s president assured that under his leadership, he would waste no effort in making the bank provide Nigeria with the support it deserves in terms of developing its human capital.
“My vision for the bank is not a lending institution, it a catalyst institution with which to mobilise resources, capital from all over the world to bring.
“I hope we can really bring capital to the continent to make transformation of our continent and bring value to agricultural sector.”
The Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Associations Alliance (REEEAA) on Friday, September 26, 2025, concluded its 4th International Conference at the Radisson Blu Anchorage Hotel, Lagos, under the theme “Energy Transition: From Rhetoric to Action in Nigeria.”
The two-day high-level gathering brought together policymakers, development partners, investors, industry leaders, and practitioners to transform Nigeria’s clean energy ambitions into measurable and coordinated outcomes.
Dignitaries at the REEEAA 4th International Conference in Lagos
In his welcome address, REEEAA President, Prof. Magnus Onuoha, reaffirmed the Alliance’s mandate as the unified voice of Nigeria’s clean energy sector. He recalled that REEEAA emerged under the Nigerian Energy Support Programme (NESP II) – a collaboration of the Federal Ministry of Power, European Union, German Government, and GIZ – to consolidate Nigeria’s fragmented renewable energy ecosystem into one coordinated platform.
“For over five years, REEEAA has spoken with one voice, engaging constructively for actionable and result-oriented outcomes. Our mission remains clear: to mainstream clean energy into Nigeria’s sustainable development agenda,” he said.
Prof. Onuoha commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for enacting the Electricity Act 2023, describing it as a decisive step toward energy democratization that empowers subnationals to drive renewable growth. He also acknowledged Lagos State’s leadership in subnational energy transition and lauded the Federal Ministry of Power, under Chief Adebayo Adelabu, for its active collaboration with the Alliance.
The President further recognised indigenous innovators advancing renewable energy without subsidies – dubbed the “G13” – and advocated for the integrity of data, sector insights, and knowledge sharing.
“This conference is not just a gathering – it is a platform for impact. Let us move together from rhetoric to action,” he urged.
Lagos State Reaffirms Subnational Leadership
Representing Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Biodun Ogunleye, Lagos State Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, opened the conference by reaffirming Lagos’s role as a trailblazer in Nigeria’s renewable energy transition.
He announced the planned conversion of 42,000 streetlights to solar power, renewable electrification of 32 general hospitals, and an additional 2,000 kilowatt-hours of capacity to strengthen public infrastructure.
“Energy transition is no longer an option – it is an urgent necessity. Lagos is demonstrating that subnational governments can lead by example through decisive policies and investments,” Ogunleye stated.
Federal & Institutional Commitments Elevated with $2 Billion Solar Mobilisation
Representing the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, the Managing Director/CEO of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Mallam Abba Abubakar Aliyu, outlined the Federal Government’s renewed momentum toward decentralised power systems and private-sector-led energy growth.
He disclosed that the government has mobilised over $2 billion in public funding to de-risk solar investments and catalyse private-sector participation.
This includes:
$750 million from the World Bank’s Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up (DARES) programme;
$200 million from the African Development Bank;
$190 million from the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP); and
$800 million currently under negotiation with multilateral lenders.
Aliyu explained that the Federal Government has absorbed nearly all non-operational risks through dollar-denominated grants and guarantees, urging commercial banks to move beyond micro-level financing and scale up support for larger projects.
Already, several banks – including Access Bank, FCMB, and Stanbic IBTC – have entered renewable partnerships such as FCMB’s ₦100 billion solar funding MoU.
He further noted that Nigeria imported 1,721 MW worth of solar PV panels between June 2024 and June 2025, ranking second only to South Africa in Africa’s renewable imports.
With 45 percent of Nigerians lacking reliable power, the country loses $25 billion annually to electricity shortages. Bridging this gap will require $23 billion in new investment, while executing the National Energy Transition Plan will demand $410 billion.
Close to ₦1.7 trillion was committed to energy-related projects in the 2025 federal budget, demonstrating the government’s readiness to act.
Gender-Responsive Clean Energy Development
The Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, represented by Prince Xavier Eyamba, Chief Technical Adviser on Climate Change and Sustainable Development, reiterated the ministry’s resolve to ensure that Nigeria’s energy transition remains inclusive and socially equitable.
She announced the rollout of 4 million e-cookstoves, which will create 40,000 green jobs and reduce indoor air pollution, alongside 25,000 electric tricycles for women and youth across all six geopolitical zones.
“Women and children are disproportionately affected by energy poverty. Our clean cooking and e-mobility initiatives will lower emissions while empowering women economically and socially,” she said.
Capacity Building and Skills Development
The DG of NEMSA, Tukur Tahir Aliyu, advocated the upskilling of installers ad developers in the renewable energy space. He stated that only technical proficiency can enable the sustainability of local content development in the Nigerian clean energy space
Strategic Partnerships and Next Steps
The conference produced a series of tangible commitments and follow-up actions, including: • Finalising an MoU between REEEAA and NEMSA to strengthen technical standards, compliance, capacity building, and public awareness; • Collaboration with Access Bank to expand de-risking mechanisms for renewable energy investors and developers; • Launch of REEEAA’s bi-monthly journal “Clean Energy News”; • Continued cooperation with GIZ under the Nigerian Energy Support Program (NESP) to enhance advocacy and capacity development; • €35.6 million commitment from the German Government to strengthen Nigeria’s energy transition framework; • GIZ’s upcoming “Energy Transition Challenge Fund”, offering co-investment grants and technical support for clean energy businesses; • Nigeria–Germany ministerial dialogue scheduled for November 4, 2025, in Berlin, covering climate, investment, agriculture, and renewable cooperation.
Moving from Rhetoric to Action
In his closing remarks, Prof. Abubakar Sambo, Chairman of REEEAA’s Board of Trustees, represented by the Deputy Chairman, Dr. Sunny Akpoyibo, called for implementation discipline: “The momentum for energy transition is undeniable. What remains is the discipline to implement, monitor, and sustain these efforts.”
The conference concluded with a reaffirmation of the Alliance’s commitment: “The solutions are within our reach; what Nigeria needs now is collective will and strategic action to ensure measurable impact at scale.”
Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) in collaboration with the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) on Friday, September 26, 2025, achieved a major milestone in the Nigerian Content development commitment, with the close-out of Train 7 Project Human Capital Development (HCD) Advanced Training Programme, at the plant complex in Finima – Bonny Island.
The training ends officially on Tuesday, September 30, with the departure of the trainees from its plant facility in Bonny Island.
Graduates of the NLNG, NCDMB training programme
The HCD programme, run under the guidance of the NCDMB, is a Federal Government initiative to build capacity for the oil and gas industry and fulfil the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act’s requirement on human capital development.
A total of 122 trainees, having completed prior HCD Basic Training Programmes, were approved by the NCDMB to participate in the rigorous three-month on-the-job training (OJT) within NLNG facilities, covering both graduate and vocational categories. The training programme focused on development of technical expertise in plant and facility management, amongst other competencies, and has positioned the trainees to take advantage of future opportunities within the oil and gas industry.
Speaking at the ceremony, the NLNG Train 7 Project Director, Ali Uwais, represented by Joshua Anemeje, the NLNG Train 7 Project Corporate Liaison Manager, described the advanced training programme as a testament of the resilience, discipline, and growth of the trainees. He congratulated the trainees for their commitment to excellence and urged them to take advantage of future opportunities within the oil and gas industry.
“This programme is about building a new generation of Nigerian professionals who will shape the oil and gas sector for decades to come. Its successful completion with a zero-incident safety record reflects not only your dedication but also NLNG’s uncompromising culture of ‘Safety First and Always’, and its operational excellence,” Joshua said.
He further commended the role of NCDMB as a strategic partner in driving Nigerian Content targets and capacity development in the industry. He also commended the training partners, Candix Engineering Nigeria Limited, AOS Orwell, Arco Marine and Engineering Limited, Dover Engineering and Amaiden Energy Nigeria Limited, who ensured the trainees got a world class OJT experience and HR management.
“Today is proof that strategic collaboration delivers impact. Through our collaboration with NCDMB and our training partners, we are shaping the future by investing in people, strengthening capacity, and laying the groundwork for sustainable national prosperity,” he added.
Joshua encouraged the graduates to leverage their skills to create value in Nigeria’s energy sector and beyond. He added that the investment in building their skills was made by the Federal Government of Nigeria via the NLNG Train 7 Project Human Capital Development Programme for which they are expected to take maximum advantage.
In his comments, the NCDMB’s General Manager Human Capital Development (HCD), Esueme Dan Kikile, Esq, expressed delight on the conclusion of the training programme, which produced a pool of skilled and globally competitive workforce, knowledgeable in key areas such as instrumentation, electrical, mechanical, lifting and rigging activities, and fabrication, preventive and corrective maintenance, and can compete globally in the oil and gas industry and its linkage sectors.
In addition, the programme is another important milestone in the collective journey towards building a skilled Nigerian workforce for the oil and gas industry and its linkage sectors.
Kikile described Train 7 Project as one of the largest gas infrastructure developments in Africa, noting that it not only created jobs but also provided a platform to groom young Nigerians with advanced technical and managerial competencies.
“This training provided hands-on experience on a live LNG project that complimented your academic and theoretical knowledge. This training further exposed trainees to specialized advanced technical disciplines, project management, health and safety, and emerging technologies critical to the future of the industry,” he added.
“It is my delight to note that 27 have received special recognition awards for their aptitude during the programme, out of which six who were very exceptional have been offered automatic employment by AOS Orwell, one of the training partners,” he said.
He charged the trainees to utilise the rare skills they have acquired to contribute meaningfully to the Nigerian oil and gas industry and national economy, and serve as good ambassadors of the programme, contributing meaningfully to Nigeria’s industrial growth.
He lauded the NLNG and all other partner companies for their unwavering commitment to Nigerian Content development, referencing several other initiatives the Board is partnering NLNG to deepen local content implementation in the Nigerian oil and gas industry. Awards were also presented to all the deserving trainees as part of the programme.
Dangote Petroleum Refinery has warned that the recent directive issued by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) to cut crude oil and gas supplies to the refinery could plunge Nigerians into fresh rounds of fuel scarcity while inflicting huge revenue losses on the government.
In a statement released on Saturday, September 27, 2025, the refinery described the directive as “criminal, reckless, and an act of economic sabotage” that, if enforced, would disrupt the production and nationwide supply of critical petroleum products, including petrol, diesel, aviation fuel, kerosene, and cooking gas.
Dangote Refinery
The company stressed that these products are indispensable to daily life and the economy, warning that Nigerians at every level, from households to businesses and industries would bear the brunt of shortages. It noted that a sudden disruption in supply will translate into insufferable hardship for millions of Nigerians.
“The products that would be disrupted and stopped include but are not limited to aviation fuel, petrol, kerosene, diesel and cooking gas – all products that are used and required by all stripes of Nigerians and persons living in Nigeria, whether high and mighty or lowly and ordinary. In what circumstance would it be justified for PENGASSAN to so disrupt and introduce insufferable hardship into the living conditions of Nigerians? None that we can see,” the company said.
“The follow up question is, in whose interest and on whose behalf is PENGASSAN directing and intending to inflict such anarchic and criminal disruption upon the Nigerian society and persons living in Nigeria? Most certainly, not in the interest of the Nigerian State and/or the Nigerian public and citizens,” it added.
Beyond the immediate hardship on citizens, Dangote Refinery warned that the government’s revenue would also be dented, given the refinery’s status as one of the country’s largest taxpayers and contributors to both federal and state coffers. The company said any pause in operations would stall contributions to the national purse and undermine investor confidence in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
The statement noted, “This is also economic sabotage against the Nigerian State at multiple levels. Dangote Refinery is the only refinery of its type in Africa and ordinarily should be the pride of all Nigerians as well as the governments of Nigeria. It should ordinarily have special protection and status and indeed qualifies as a strategic national asset.”
It added that an irreparable injury to the Dangote Refinery such as PENGASSAN has directed constitutes a national embarrassment to the country and a disincentive to external investors who ordinarily would have been encouraged by the success of Dangote Refinery to contemplate investing in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector or generally.
“PENGASSAN may also not be aware that Dangote Refinery is one of the largest contributors to the revenue purse of the Nigerian governments – both Federal and sub-nationals. That contribution is currently threatened by PENGASSAN and would of course be paused if and as soon as and for as long as the PENGASSAN directive is implemented by its branches,” it noted.
The statement also noted that PENGASSAN had no legal authority to interfere in supply contracts between the refinery and its vendors, insisting that the action undermined the rule of law.
“Absolutely no law gives PENGASSAN the right to direct its branches to ‘cut off’ gas and crude oil supplies to Dangote Refinery or at all. There is also no law in our statute books that would support or enable the PENGASSAN branches having to ‘cut off’ gas and crude oil supplies to Dangote Refinery or at all. Besides, it constitutes a criminal conduct for PENGASSAN or its members to disrupt and/or interfere howsoever in the contract between Dangote Refinery and its various vendors for the supply of gas and crude oil to the Refinery.
“Those supply contracts were not entered into with PENGASSAN; they were entered into by Dangote Refinery with third party vendors and suppliers and PENGASSAN has no right whatsoever to disrupt and/or interfere with the performance of those contracts.”
Calling on the Federal Government and security agencies to act swiftly, the refinery urged Nigerians to take note of the “unquantifiable and irredeemable hardship which PENGASSAN wishes to inflict on all of us” if not checked, warning that fuel queues, energy shortages and price hikes could quickly resurface.
It urged PENGASSAN to submit to amicable and legal resolution and not resort to economic sabotage and mob action that could introduce mayhem and chaos and easily translate into anarchy.
In a related development, Dangote Petroleum Refinery has announced the resumption of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, sales in Naira, following the intervention of the Chairman of the Naira-for-Crude Transaction Committee.
In a statement, the refinery confirmed: “Following the intervention of the Naira for Crude Transaction Committee Chairman, we are pleased to inform you of the resumption of PMS Sales in Naira commencing Immediately
“You may kindly proceed to place your orders in Naira for both self collection and free delivery of PMS to the earlier advised locations across the country,” it said.
The company explained that the temporary suspension of Naira-denominated petrol sales, announced on Friday and initially scheduled to take effect from Sunday, September 28, has been lifted.
Dangote Refinery urged customers to disregard the earlier suspension notice, assuring that sales would continue without interruption to guarantee affordable petrol supply for Nigerians.
The Lagos State Government has reaffirmed its mandate to enforce physical planning laws within its jurisdiction, including the Trade Fair Complex in Ojo.
Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Oluyinka Olumide, said that the government’s position was backed by the Supreme Court judgment of 2003 and the Lagos State Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law 2019, as amended, which empower the state to regulate and enforce Physical Planning Laws.
Demolition of illegal buildings at Trade Fair Complex in Lagos
The Commissioner stated that the location of the Trade Fair Complex on Federal Government land did not exempt developers from obtaining necessary planning permits from the Lagos State Government or adhering to the State physical planning laws.
“We have acted decisively to halt further development of unapproved and unsafe buildings in the Complex as a livable, organised, orderly and sustainable built environment is crucial to achieving our T.H.E.M.E.S.+ Agenda,” he said.
He reiterated that the Trade Fair Complex had a history of non-compliance with building regulations and had refused to cooperate with the efforts to bring it into voluntary compliance despite several warnings, including the request in November 2023 for building constructions within the area to be regularised with the Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development.
This enforcement exercise is part of the state government’s regular efforts to promote safety, livability, and well-being across the State, and not just within the Trade Fair Complex.
The Lagos State Government, on Thursday, commenced the demolition of illegal and defective structures at the Trade Fair Complex in Ojo, in order to restore order and enforce its physical planning laws.
It was gathered that about 19 buildings were pulled down at the New Mandela Plaza, within the popular Trade Fair Complex in Lagos.
The state government said the structures were without statutory approvals, defective structures and built on road setbacks and drainages.
Confirming the demolition exercise, the Senior Special Assistant on New Media to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Jubril Gawat, in a post on X, said the operation was targeted at “illegal developments, structures without statutory approvals, defective structures, and buildings erected on road setbacks and drainages.”
Gawat said the government took the action because the unapproved structures were haphazardly built in the complex.
According to him, “The Lagos State Government has begun removal of illegal developments, structures without statutory approvals and defective structures, and structures built on road setbacks and drainages in the Trade Fair Complex, Ojo Local Government area.”
It was further gathered that the operation was jointly carried out by the Ministry of Physical Planning, Lagos State Building Control Agency, Lagos State Urban Renewal Agency, and the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority.
They were supported during the exercise by officials from the Office of Infrastructure, members of the Lagos State House of Assembly, and security agencies.
Bulldozers were seen pulling down marked structures, while some traders and shop owners looked on with concern over the impact on their businesses.
The Sanwo-Olu administration had warned residents against building any structure without proper approvals or blocking drainage channels, pointing out that the violations were contributing to incidents of flooding in the metropolis, traffic congestion, and urban disorder in Lagos.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) says re-entry into Ogoniland marks a historic turning point for Nigeria, not just in terms of oil production, but reflects President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Speaking during the presentation of the Ogoni Consultations Report at the State House in Abuja, Tinubu said that the re-entry reflected the government’s recognition of their sacrifices.
Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL, Bayo Ojulari
According to a statement on Friday, September 26, 2025, by Andy Odeh, Chief Corporate Communications Officer, NNPC Ltd., the President acknowledged that the Ogoni people have endured long years of pain.
“This milestone reflects the spirit of the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which commits to building a stronger country, attracting responsible investment and ensuring community development for national progress.
“We are not, as a government, taking lightly the years of pain endured in Ogoniland. We recognise that, otherwise we would not be here today. We declare with conviction that hope is here and is back with us,” Tinubu said.
Mr. Bashir Ojulari, Group Chief Executive Officer, NNPC Ltd., reiterated the President’s sentiments, describing the development as a re-affirmation of NNPC’s commitment to the Ogoni re-entry plan and a bold step towards justice, healing and national prosperity.
He emphasised that the re-entry demonstrates that Nigeria can confront its past, honour the sacrifices of its communities and forge a new path with a vision of prosperity and justice for all.
“The re-entry into Ogoniland is not just about oil and gas. It is about justice, healing, and charting a new future for our nation,” Ojulari said.
“Ogoni re-entry can be seen as both a test and an opportunity for the country. It demonstrates that equity can exist in national development, and oil can co-exist with environmental stewardship and inclusive nation-building.
“This milestone is a practical example of how President’s Renewed Hope Agenda translates into reality by strengthening our country, creating conditions for responsible investment, while prioritising the prosperity of host communities,” he said.
Ojulari acknowledged the pivotal leadership of the National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, in convening a committee that brought diverse stakeholders together, creating the platform for dialogue and consensus that made this breakthrough possible.
He also praised the work of Prof. Don Baridam and members of the Presidential Committee, who engaged tirelessly and transparently with relevant parties to produce a report that showed fairness and inclusivity.
“The lesson is that this journey cannot be driven solely by production volumes. It must be anchored on justice, equity, sustainability, and most importantly, collaboration with the very people whose land bears this wealth,” he said.
Ojulari was categorical that, in resuming operations in Ogoni, NNPC Ltd. will continue to build trust by prioritising community engagements with key stakeholders, investing in infrastructure and empowering local enterprise.
He confirmed that NNPC has already began initiatives in road construction, infrastructure upgrades and economic empowerment programmes designed to rebuild trust and demonstrate accountability in an inclusive manner.
“NNPC Ltd. is determined to transform Ogoni land from a symbol of conflict into a beacon of reconciliation, renewal, and sustainable progress,” he concluded.
In his remarks, Ribadu said sustainable progress was possible and proven through collaboration with all parties concerned.
Ribadu said that the report was the outcome of an intensive, methodical and transparent engagement.
Baridam, on behalf of the Committee, thanked the President for his unwavering commitment to the well-being of the Ogoni people, adding that through diplomacy and relentless insistence on dialogue, host community trust was earned, and hope restored.
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has expressed concern over the alleged mass sack and intimidation of workers at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals after joining PENGASSAN.
This is contained in a letter to the Zonal Chairman of PENGASSAN Lagos Zone and jointly signed by members of the Caretaker Committee (CTC) of the newly unionised branch on Thursday, September 25, 2025, in Abuja.
Dangote Refinery gate
The signatories include Mr. Eseoghene Choice, CTC branch secretary, and Mr. Abdulfaitai Muhammed, CTC branch chairman, on behalf of the union.
The committee alleged that management on Thursday night issued a termination notice addressed to “all staff” of the refinery; a few hours after workers affirmed their membership of PENGASSAN during a verification meeting.
“We regret to inform you that at about 9:59 p.m., workers received a mass termination email,” it said.
The committee alleged that management withdrew staff buses, forcing members to spend as much as ₦4,000 on transportation, and denied them entry into the refinery premises while expatriates were allowed access.
It added that, at about 6:30 p.m., staff members who had joined PENGASSAN were denied entry into the refinery and were informed it was on the orders of Alhaji Aliko Dangote,” it stated.
The CTC also accused the management of targeting union leaders for arrest and intimidation.
“We intercepted an internal directive ordering the arrest and detention of the CTC chairman by the General Manager of Human Asset Management. This is a direct act of intimidation against union leaders,” it alleged, “it said.
The committee also described the action as a violation of Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which guarantees workers the right to freedom of association.
“These events clearly amount to targeted intimidation and victimisation of workers for exercising their constitutional rights to freedom of association,” it added.
Meanwhile, Mr. Femi Adekunle, Chief General Manager of Human Asset Management at Dangote Group, said the reorganisation followed multiple cases of reported sabotage across refinery units that posed major safety risks.
He said management was left with no choice but to carry out a total reorganisation of the refinery, resulting in the disengagement of the affected staff, effective Thursday.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery attempted to clarify recent reports concerning the ongoing reorganisation within its facility, adding that the exercise is not arbitrary.
It stressed that it has become necessary to safeguard the refinery from repeated acts of sabotage “that have raised safety concerns and affected operational efficiency”.
The statement reads:
“The foregoing decision was taken in the best interest of the Refinery as result of intermittent cases of sabotage in the various units of the Refinery with dire consequences on human life and related safety concerns.
“We remain vigilant to our internal systems and vulnerabilities to ensure the long-term stability of this strategic national asset. It is imperative to protect the refinery for the benefit of Nigerians, our partners across Africa, and the thousands of people whose livelihoods depend on it.
“Over 3,000 Nigerians continue to work actively in our Petroleum Refinery, at present. Only a very small number of staff were affected, as we continue to recruit Nigerian talent through our various graduate trainee programmes and experienced hire recruitment process.
“We recognise and uphold internationally accepted labour principles, including the right of every worker to freely decide whether or not to join a union. Our commitment to workers’ rights is unwavering.
“The Dangote Petroleum Refinery exists to serve Nigerians, to strengthen Africa’s energy independence, and to create decent, sustainable jobs. We will continue to work in partnership with our employees, regulators, and stakeholders to uphold the highest standards of safety, transparency, and accountability.”
