The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has explained its decision to suspend the nationwide strike against Dangote Refinery, saying it acted out of respect for the Nigerian government and the public.

Union president Festus Osifo, speaking at a press briefing on Wednesday, said the union was not entirely satisfied with the outcome of negotiations but chose to step back because of the mediation led by senior government officials, including the National Security Adviser, the Department of State Services, and several ministers.

“We are not happy with the terms of the agreement because our main demand — the recall of the 800 dismissed workers — was not fully addressed. But in respect for government institutions that intervened tirelessly, we decided to suspend the action,” Osifo said.

The union had launched the strike on Sunday, cutting crude and gas supply to the 650,000-barrel-per-day refinery. The disruption triggered concerns across Nigeria’s oil sector and forced the Ministry of Labour and Employment to initiate emergency talks between both parties.

As part of the truce, Dangote Refinery reportedly agreed to reabsorb the sacked staff, which was the key issue behind the strike. The refinery had earlier announced the dismissal of over 800 employees who joined PENGASSAN, sparking outrage within the union.

Osifo, however, warned that the suspension was only temporary and that industrial action would resume “without notice” if the refinery fails to honour its commitments.

With the strike on hold, attention now turns to whether Dangote Refinery will meet its obligations and maintain peace with the oil workers’ union.