Protesters under the aegis of Partners for National Economic Progress (PANEP) on Monday marched through the streets of Kaduna metropolis, urging President Bola Tinubu to protect Nigeria’s local refining efforts from what they described as “economic sabotage”.

The protesters, who carried placards with inscriptions such as “Support Local Refining,” “Crush Economic Saboteurs,” and “Protect Dangote Refinery,” called on the Federal Government to prioritise local production and curb practices they believe undermine national development.

Alleged Sabotage

PANEP’s leaders, Igwe Ude-Umanta and Dahiru Maishanu, said the protest was aimed at drawing attention to what they termed the activities of “powerful interests” allegedly working against Nigeria’s self-sufficiency in petroleum refining.

“This is not about Dangote alone; it’s about Nigeria’s economic survival. Mr President must rise to the occasion and crush those sabotaging our march toward self-reliance in refining,” Ude-Umanta said.

According to him, the protest, themed “National Unity Against Sabotage: Reclaiming Our Petroleum Sector for the People,” forms part of a nationwide campaign to defend local refining from groups he accused of keeping the country dependent on fuel importation.

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Ude-Umanta further alleged that some oil unions and importers were “colluding with foreign interests” to frustrate the operations of the Dangote Refinery, warning that such actions could discourage future investors.

“If they succeed in killing Dangote Refinery, no investor will ever bring money here again,” he claimed.

He also accused the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) of “economic sabotage,” alleging that its recent actions had disrupted refinery operations.

“What PENGASSAN did was not unionism, it was sabotage,” Ude-Umanta stated

“The Federal Government should have arrested their leadership to deter others. No one should hide under the guise of labour activism to commit crimes against the economy,” he added.

PENGASSAN had yet to respond publicly to the allegations as of the time of the report.

However, Ude-Umanta further appealed to the President, who also serves as Minister of Petroleum Resources, to ensure that local refineries, including Dangote’s, receive crude oil at the same price sold to foreign refineries to sustain operations and boost investor confidence.

The group also commended Dangote Refinery for what it described as a positive impact on domestic fuel supply, noting that the prices of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) have reportedly started to drop.

It urged President Tinubu to stay firm in his economic reform agenda, describing the refinery’s success as a “test of his commitment to national industrial revival”.