Dangote Refinery Sacks Nigerian Workers Over Union Membership!

The management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery has terminated the employment of all its Nigerian workers less than 24 hours after over 90 percent of them joined the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN). This decision, communicated in a memo dated September 25, 2025, and signed by the Chief General Manager of Human Asset Management, Femi Adekunle, was described as part of a “total re-organisation” of the refinery following reported cases of sabotage in various refinery units.

The memo directed the affected employees to surrender all company property to their line managers and secure exit clearance. The finance department was tasked with computing and processing the benefits and entitlements of these staff according to their employment terms. Management expressed gratitude to the dismissed workers for their contributions during their tenure.

This development adds to an ongoing and intensifying labor dispute between Dangote Refinery and Nigerian labor unions, including PENGASSAN and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), over unionization rights. The refinery has faced accusations of anti-union practices and attempts to stifle workers’ rights to freely join unions. PENGASSAN’s president, Festus Osifo, has confirmed the sackings but assured that the workers would be recalled.

ADVERTISEMENT

The dispute comes amid broader tensions in the Nigerian petroleum sector, with previous government-brokered agreements aimed at allowing employees freedom of union affiliation, which Dangote Refinery’s management has been accused of undermining. The refinery’s resistance to unionization, especially its preference for internal company unions over established labor organizations, remains a flashpoint for labor unrest in one of Nigeria’s largest industrial projects.

This news highlights significant labor relations challenges at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, which is Africa’s largest refinery and a key component of Nigeria’s industrial landscape.