By our reporter
Less than 24 hours after joining a legally recognized trade union, several Nigerian workers at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery have reportedly been dismissed, sparking outrage from labor unions and raising serious concerns about workers’ rights at Africa’s largest industrial complex.
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) have condemned the dismissals, alleging that the action was a direct retaliation against the employees’ decision to unionize.
While the exact number of affected workers remains unconfirmed, union representatives claim that dozens of Nigerian staff members were abruptly terminated shortly after affiliating with PENGASSAN. This move comes barely a week after Dangote Industries signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with NUPENG, pledging to respect the rights of workers to freely associate and organize.
According to the terms of the MoU, which was signed on September 9 following mediation by the Department of State Services, Dangote Refinery agreed not to interfere with the unionization process and pledged that no employee would be victimized for joining a labor union. The agreement gave a two-week window ending on September 22 for the unionization process to be fully implemented.
Just days later, union leaders say the refinery management began terminating workers allegedly involved in the union drive. PENGASSAN, in a strongly worded statement, called the dismissals a clear breach of the MoU and an attack on constitutionally protected labor rights.
This is not just a violation of trust; it is a violation of Nigerian labor law and international labor conventions, said a PENGASSAN spokesperson. These workers were exercising their legal right to associate, and for that, they were punished.
As of press time, the Dangote Group has not issued a formal response to the allegations or clarified the reasons for the terminations. However, internal communications suggest that the company may argue that the layoffs were performance-based or part of a restructuring process claims the unions vehemently reject.
This isn’t a coincidence. These workers were sacked immediately after unionizing. We see this for what it is union busting, said one senior official from NUPENG.
The situation has escalated tensions within Nigeria’s vital oil and gas sector. Both PENGASSAN and NUPENG have hinted at industrial action if the sacked workers are not reinstated immediately. The unions are also calling on the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment to intervene and enforce the MoU signed earlier this month.
PENGASSAN has vowed to shut down operations at the refinery if the dismissed workers are not recalled, while NUPENG has described the dismissals as a test of the Nigerian government’s commitment to upholding labor rights.
This refinery cannot operate without Nigerian workers. We are ready to mobilize nationally if this injustice is not reversed,” one union leader warned.
Located in the Lekki Free Trade Zone in Lagos State, the 19 billion dollar Dangote Refinery is Africa’s largest single-train refinery and a critical infrastructure project for Nigeria’s energy sector. Since its commissioning, the refinery has faced scrutiny over its labor practices, particularly the ratio of expatriate to local workers and the treatment of Nigerian staff.
The latest development adds to mounting criticism that despite its national importance, the refinery is failing to uphold basic labor standards.
With the unions promising to pursue every legal and industrial avenue, and the refinery under intense public scrutiny, the coming days may prove decisive. If the workers are not reinstated and a resolution is not reached, Nigeria could witness renewed strikes across the energy sector potentially disrupting fuel supplies and undermining confidence in one of the country’s most high-profile projects.
For now, all eyes are on Dangote Refinery, the Ministry of Labour, and the unions each under pressure to prevent the crisis from spiraling into a nationwide labor showdown.
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