The House of Representatives witnessed an intense debate on Tuesday over a motion seeking to protect the Dangote Refinery and other strategic private investments from “unlawful and adversarial” labour union activities.

The motion, jointly sponsored by Alhassan Ado Doguwa (APC, Kano) and Abdulssamad Dasuki (PDP, Sokoto), was prompted by the recent industrial face-off between the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the Dangote Refinery, which temporarily disrupted operations at the facility.

Presenting the motion during the plenary session presided over by Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, Doguwa noted that the strike action at the $20 billion Dangote Refinery in the Lekki Free Trade Zone disrupted production and resulted in a daily loss of about 200,000 barrels of crude oil for three days.

Doguwa described the refinery as a strategic national asset whose stability was critical to Nigeria’s energy security and economic growth.

He expressed concern that continued union disruptions could discourage investors and undermine confidence in the Nigerian economy.

He argued that since the refinery operates within a Free Trade Zone, it falls under the regulatory framework of the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA), citing Section 5 of the NEPZA Act, which exempts employment in such zones from regular labour enactments.

He said: “Employment in the Free Zone shall be governed by rules and regulations made by the Authority and not subject to the provision of enactments relating to employment matters.

“Concerned that actions by labour unions that disregard the legal protections conferred on Free Zone, under NEPZA Act, not only constitute a breach of law but also create hostile investment environment that may deter future local and foreign investors.

The lawmaker warned that if private investment of strategic national importance is continually subjected to unlawful disruptions by adversarial unionism, Nigeria risks not only the failure of key economic assets but also the erosion of investor confidence necessary for national growth and development.

Doguwa urged the lawmakers to direct the Federal Ministries of Labour and Employment; Industrial, Trade and Investment; and Justice to jointly develop and implement a national framework or set of policies to safeguard private investments of strategic national importance from adversarial and unlawful union actions.

He also demanded that the Federal Ministry of justice and NEPZA ensure full enforcement and compliance with the provisions of Section 18(5) of the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Acts in all relevant Free Zoné operations.

He asked that the Committees on Labour, Industry, and justice engage with relevant stakeholders, including labour unions and the private sectors to develop a balance regulatory framework that protect workers’ rights while also preserving the sanctity of strate economic investments;

His co-sponsor, Dasuki, reinforced the argument, citing Section 18(5) of the NEPZA Act, which prohibits strikes or lockouts for 10 years from the commencement of operations within a Free Zone.

“For the first time in our history, a Nigerian has built one of the largest refineries in the world. Yet, just two and a half years into operation, unions are shutting it down in violation of the law. The government’s decision to yield to union demands undermines the private sector and violates our own laws”, he said.

However, Minority Leader, Hon. Kingsley Chinda (PDP, Rivers), while supporting the motion in principle, cautioned against hasty conclusions.

He proposed an amendment to delete the first two prayers of the motion, which sought immediate enforcement by the Ministries of Labour, Industry, and Justice, arguing that the House must first investigate the circumstances surrounding the dispute.

“As a parliament, we must not be seen as one-sided. Let the committees call all parties, including Dangote, PENGASSAN, and the relevant ministries, to hear from them before we take a final position. Fair hearing is key to justice”, Chinda said.

Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, who presided over plenary, aligned with Chinda’s reasoning, explaining that the minority leader’s amendment invoked the powers of the legislature under Sections 88 and 89 of the Constitution to investigate before taking a position.

Kalu said, “It’s not that anyone is against the motion,” But the House must not take a position without first hearing both sides. That is the essence of legislative due process.”

Doguwa, however, stood his ground, insisting that his prayers were not in conflict with an investigation but were necessary to reinforce the supremacy of existing laws protecting investments in the Free Zones.

As tensions rose, Ahmadu Jaha (APC, Borno) moved an amendment that eventually changed the course of the debate.

Drawing from his experience during the recent Petroleum Industry Downstream Sector Week, Jaha proposed that the leadership of the House, led by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, should personally intervene and mediate between Dangote Group and PENGASSAN through alternative dispute resolution.

“This matter doesn’t need public confrontation. We’ve seen the leadership of this House successfully resolve disputes between ASUU and the Federal Government in the past. This one can also be settled amicably without investigation or enforcement. The leadership should bring both sides together and resolve it with dignity”, Jaha said.

His proposal to replace the investigative approach with direct mediation drew overwhelming support from members.
The House adopted Jaha’s amendment and resolved that Speaker Abbas and the leadership should immediately engage both parties to amicably resolve the Dangote–PENGASSAN dispute through dialogue.

With that, the motion to compel ministries to act on the NEPZA provisions was dropped, and the House mandated its leadership to intervene in the dispute as a mediator.