The President of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), Festus Osifo, has levelled strong allegations against the Chairman of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, accusing him of working against Nigeria’s economic interest.

Osifo, who spoke during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, said Dangote’s dominance in several key sectors was made possible by government concessions that undermined competition and national growth.

“The person sabotaging our economy today is Aliko Dangote,” Osifo declared. “Nigeria gave him exclusive licences to import flour, sugar and salt. The refinery he built was financed with our resources, as the government provided subsidised foreign exchange for the project.”

According to the labour leader, the support extended to Dangote over the years allowed him to amass wealth and control strategic industries, leaving smaller businesses unable to thrive. He warned that such concentration of power in one private entity poses serious risks to economic stability.

The comments come against the backdrop of PENGASSAN’s ongoing face-off with the Dangote Refinery. The union has accused the company of anti-labour practices, including the dismissal of workers for union activities, and has threatened a nationwide strike if its demands are not met.

In response to the rising tensions, the Federal Government has intervened, inviting both PENGASSAN and Dangote Refinery representatives to a conciliation meeting scheduled for Monday in Abuja. Officials say the talks are aimed at preventing a shutdown in the petroleum sector that could worsen hardship for millions of Nigerians.