THE management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals has disagreed with the Petroleum Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) over the mass sack of workers at the multi-billion-dollar refinery.
While Dangote attributed the mass sack of its staff to ‘internal sabotage”, the PENGASSAN’s branch at the refinery said there had been victimisation of staff who voluntarily joined the union.
In a statement issued on Thursday, September 25, signed by Abdullahi Muhammed, branch chairman, and Eseoghene Choice, the branch secretary, PENGASSAN said the workers who voluntarily joined the union body had received an email terminating their appointments.
The union noted that the dismissals came after the successful unionisation of Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemical workers, the appointment of the caretaker committee of the branch executive council and submission of batch one of the unionised members’ list to management.
It said the management physically attempted to verify whether the staff voluntarily consented to join PENGASSAN by circulating a list to confirm their membership, adding that, “a meeting was held with members, during which they were asked to indicate their membership in PENGASSAN. Overwhelmingly, the staff of the refinery affirmed yes.
The union also disclosed that it received management’s directive that buses meant for staff transportation were under maintenance and that workers should use their funds for transportation to work, which saw them spending about N4,000 to work daily.
It also disclosed that members observed that members who joined PENGASSAN were denied entry into the refinery from 6:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on September 25, and were informed that it was on the orders of the refinery’s chairman, Aliko Dangote, while only expatriates, Pakistanis and other nationals were granted entrance access.
The union stated further that, “At about 9.59 pm, workers received a mass termination email, stressing that, “The termination letter was addressed to “all Staff” of Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals.
“This is a direct act of intimidation against union leaders,” PENGASSAN said.
According to PENGASSAN, “These actions by Alhaji Aliko Dangote are in direct violation of section 40 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), which guarantees every citizen the right to freely assemble and associate, including forming or belonging to a trade union for the protection of their interests.”
Conversely, Dangote Petrochemical Refinery Company said it took the decision to reorganise its operations and workforce.
The refinery informed that the operational safety of the 650,000 barrels per day facility was threatened by repeated sabotage by some of its workers.
In a letter obtained by The ICIR on Friday, September 26, dated September 24, 2025, and signed by the Chief General Manager, Human Asset Management, Femi Adekunle, the refinery said it was “constrained to carry out a total reorganisation of the plant” following “many recent cases of reported sabotage in different units of the Petroleum Refinery leading to major safety concerns.”
The letter directed all affected staff to hand over all company property to their line managers and await clearance before receiving their entitlements, which the Finance Department would compute in line with their conditions of service.
The Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Dangote Group, Anthony Chiejina, did not respond to messages sent to him by our reporter on the development.
A copy of the disengagement letter was addressed to all staff of Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals FZE and Dangote Industries Free Zone Development Company.
It read in part, “In view of the many recent cases of reported sabotage in different units of the Petroleum Refinery leading to major safety concerns, the management is constrained to carry out a total re-organisation of the plant. As a consequence of this development, we wish to inform you that your services are no longer required, with effect from the eve of Thursday, the 25th September, 2025.
“Please surrender all the Company’s properties in your possession to your line manager and obtain an exit clearance accordingly, but the date for doing so will be communicated to you later. The Finance Department, by a copy of this letter, is advised to compute all your benefits and entitlements in line with your terms of employment and conditions of service and pay the amount due to you (less all indebtedness), subject to the condition that you have obtained the exit clearance certificate as mentioned above.”
The refinery, which commenced production in 2024 amid fanfare and expectations of ending Nigeria’s decades-long reliance on imported petroleum products, is already battling operational turbulence and industrial disputes.
Recently, the refinery was enmeshed in a bitter row with the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers over labour practices and safety standards.
The oil workers’ union had accused the company of “high-handedness” and warned against what it described as an emerging pattern of unfair labour practices.
The plant also faced friction with the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria over product pricing and distribution arrangements, with marketers alleging that Dangote imposed rigid conditions that could distort the downstream market.
Dangote Refinery and Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) are currently intensifying fights over N1.5 trillion fuel subsidy.
The ICIR reports that there are also indications that the company’s reorganisation and staff dismissals may not be unconnected to the crisis with the marketers’ union, which has created tension with Dangote’s entrance to the distribution value chain in the petroleum industry – a sector largely dominated by the unions ab initio.
Harrison Edeh is a journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting, always determined to drive advocacy for good governance through holding public officials and businesses accountable.