The reconciliation meeting convened by the Federal Government between the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the management of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery ended in a stalemate after nine hours of negotiations.

The meeting, which began around 4 p.m. on Monday at the conference room of the Minister of Labour and Employment in Abuja, dragged into the early hours of Tuesday without a breakthrough.

Minister of Labour and Employment, Mohammed Dingyadi, who presided over the talks alongside the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkiruka Onyejeocha, confirmed that discussions would continue. “We have listened to both sides extensively, and since no agreement has been reached tonight, we will reconvene at 2 p.m. today to further deliberate,” Dingyadi said.

PENGASSAN, led by its President, Festus Osifo, and representatives of the Dangote refinery, were present at the session, which sought to address the labour dispute triggered by the dismissal of over 800 Nigerian workers from the refinery.

Union members have accused the refinery of violating Nigeria’s labour laws and international conventions by sacking workers who joined the association. The refinery, however, insists the exercise was part of a reorganisation aimed at improving safety and preventing sabotage.

The deadlock came as PENGASSAN members staged protests in Abuja on Monday, blocking entrances to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).

The strike, already affecting oil and gas regulators, is expected to continue as both parties prepare to return to the negotiation table later today.