26/09/2025
Dangote Refinery Sacks All Nigerian Workers A Day After Joining PENGASSAN
By Abulu Osemuaghu
Barely one day after workers at Dangote Petroleum Refinery joined the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria PENGASSAN, the management of the Refinery has terminated the employment of all its Nigerian workers.
In a memo on Wednesday, Dangote Refinery said it has officially laid off all of its Nigerian workers under the guise of “reorganization”.
This is happening less than 24 hours after 90% of them joined PENGASSAN,
According to a memo dated September 25, 2025, and signed by the Chief General Manager of Human Asset Management, Femi Adekunle, the company said the decision was taken as part of a “total re-organisation” of the plant following reported cases of sabotage in different units of the refinery.
The notice directed affected staff to surrender all company property in their possession to their line managers and obtain exit clearance.
The finance department was also instructed to compute benefits and entitlements for payment in line with terms of employment.
The refinery’s management thanked the dismissed workers for their services while in its employment.
Meanwhile, in a swift reaction, PENGASSAN said Dangote refinery workers were unionised in line with Nigerian labour laws, and that the affected workers will be recalled.
PENGASSAN recalled that during the meeting between Dangote, NUPENG, and the Federal Ministry of Labour, as well as in several of the company’s press statements, Dangote management repeatedly claimed it had no objection to workers joining unions, provided such membership was voluntary.
It noted that with this, workers willingly filled membership forms, engaged with the union and at the close of the exercise, over 1,000 workers freely and voluntarily joined PENGASSAN.
PENGASSAN noted that the conclusion was officially communicated to the Dangote refinery management, who even went ahead to verify directly with the workers.
PENGASSAN noted however, in a clear act of bad faith, the management has now turned around to summarily disengage all Nigerian workers in the refinery section — where it has the largest membership strength — under the guise of “reorganization.”
It said the action is not just sabotage; it is a calculated attempt to weaken the union and undermine workers’ constitutional rights to freedom of association.
It said to further intimidate the workers, the management is pushing for the arrest of the Caretaker committee Chairman, whose only “offence” is belonging to and serving the union.
While development unfolds, the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas workers, NUPENG has not reacted to the development and has not reported registering its members into union either, probably due to a National industrial court order restraining it from Disrupting Operations at Dangote refinery.
Editor Paul Akhagbemhe
