The workers, operating under the Support Staff Union of the PHRC (Port Harcourt Refining Company), staged a protest at the refinery in Eleme, Rivers State, on October 5, blocking its entrance and displaying placards demanding better treatment.
They gave NNPC Limited (Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited) a 48-hour ultimatum to address their complaints or face further industrial action.
The protest was reported by TheCable and Punch, which documented statements from the protesting workers.
What the workers are demanding
The dispute centres on a new salary structure that the union says was approved by NNPC Group Chief Executive Officer Bayo Ojulari and scheduled to take effect on October 1, 2026.
According to the union, the refinery coordinator has refused to implement the approval.
The workers are demanding payment of seven months of outstanding salaries, immediate implementation of the new salary structure, and a proposed ₦1 million housing allowance for eligible employees.
They also want improved consultation between refinery management and workers’ representatives on salaries, safety and welfare.
Union chairman Bennett Isy said employees could no longer accept repeated delays, particularly suggestions that the new salary structure might not be implemented until January 2027.
The workers are asking President Bola Tinubu to intervene and ensure their demands are addressed.
The refinery is already out of production
The threat comes while the Port Harcourt refinery remains out of regular production.
The facility resumed limited operations in November 2024 following rehabilitation work, but was shut down again in May 2025 for maintenance and operational reviews.
This distinction matters because the workers’ threatened shutdown would primarily affect access and activities at a facility that is not currently producing fuel regularly.
It would not necessarily mean an immediate loss of petrol or diesel supply from an operating refinery.
The labour dispute nevertheless raises further questions about the management of Nigeria’s publicly owned refining assets, particularly after years of rehabilitation spending and repeated attempts to restore domestic production.
What happens next?
The union’s ultimatum places pressure on NNPC management to resolve the disagreement over salaries and employee welfare.
For the affected workers, the immediate concern is receiving outstanding payments and implementing the benefits they say have already been approved.
For the wider public, the dispute adds another challenge to efforts to return the Port Harcourt refinery to regular production.
As of October 8, there was no independently verified announcement confirming that the salary dispute had been resolved or that the workers had carried out a complete shutdown.
The central question is whether management can reach an agreement with employees while addressing the refinery’s wider operational problems.
