The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has threatened to picket the Dangote Petroleum Refinery following the alleged dismissal of 800 Nigerian workers who recently joined the union.
The association accused the refinery of replacing the sacked workers with over 2,000 expatriates, mostly from India, many of whom it claimed lack proper immigration documentation.
General Secretary of PENGASSAN, Lumumba Okugbawa, described the development as “a direct attack on unionisation,” noting that the dismissals came barely 24 hours after the workers formally joined the association in compliance with directives from the Federal Government.
“They said it was reorganisation, but why are Nigerians the ones sacked while expatriates remain? This is nothing short of discrimination against our people,” Okugbawa said.
He warned that the union may embark on protests or picketing if the refinery fails to reinstate the affected workers. An emergency National Executive Council meeting has been scheduled to decide the next line of action.
Refinery’s Defence
In response, the Dangote Refinery dismissed the allegations, insisting that the restructuring was triggered by repeated acts of sabotage within its facilities, which posed grave safety risks.
“This exercise is not arbitrary. It became necessary to safeguard the refinery from repeated sabotage that threatened operational efficiency and human lives,” the company said in a statement.
The management added that only a “very small number” of workers were affected, stressing that over 3,000 Nigerians remain employed at the refinery, with ongoing recruitment through graduate trainee and experienced hire programmes.
Dangote also reaffirmed its commitment to labour rights, noting that employees retain the freedom to decide whether or not to join unions.
Growing Tensions
This is not the first time the refinery has clashed with labour unions. Recently, it faced disruptions from members of the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) over alleged restrictions on tanker drivers’ unionisation, though a court order has since barred further blockades.
Despite the company’s assurances, PENGASSAN insists that the mass dismissals contravene the Labour Act and the Trade Union Act, vowing to “explore every legal and constitutional option” to protect Nigerian workers.
