BREAKING: Students Protest in Oyo, Rally Support for Dangote Refinery!

Reported by Marian Opeyemi Fasesan | Sele Media Africa

Students under the banners of the National Association of Oduduwa Students (NAOS), the Coalition of Yoruba Students, and the Yoruba Movement have staged a peaceful protest in Oyo State to express solidarity with the Dangote Refinery amid ongoing disputes between the refinery’s management and oil unions including PENGASSAN, NUPENG, and Depot & Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria.

What’s Driving the Protest

• The student groups argued that the Dangote Refinery is a strategic national asset with the capacity to transform Nigeria’s petroleum sector and reduce the country’s dependence on imported fuel.
• They decried what they perceive as unfair treatment of the refinery and called on the government, unions, and stakeholders to prioritize national interest over sectional and union conflicts.
• In a statement, NAOS emphasized that the refinery’s presence in Yorubaland adds a symbolic dimension to their defense: it is not just a corporate asset but also part of the region’s heritage. [0search6]

Context & Union Disputes

• The protest comes amid escalating tensions between union leadership and Dangote management. PENGASSAN has ordered a halt to crude and gas supplies to the refinery in response to over 800 worker dismissals. [1]
• NUPENG recently suspended its nationwide strike after reaching an agreement with Dangote management regarding worker unionization rights. [2]
• The labour conflict threatens disruption in fuel supply chains and has drawn federal government and security agency involvement in mediation. [3]

What to Watch

• Whether the protest remains peaceful or expands to other states and universities.
• The response of state governments and security agencies to whether students will be protected or dispersed.
• Developments in the union‑management talks and whether student support influences public or judicial response.
• The federal government’s role: additional interventions, regulatory actions, or policy shifts to support refining at home.

Citations:

1. Reuters: www.reuters.com/business/world-at-work/nigerias-oil-union-orders-halt-gas-supply-dangote-refinery-over-mass-sackings-2025-09-27/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
2. Vanguard News: www.vanguardngr.com/2025/09/nupeng-suspends-strike-after-dss-brokered-truce-with-dangote/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
3. AP News: apnews.com/article/d2c92fb4b3beb7b274c2533f16824a88?utm_source=chatgpt.com

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