Barely 24 hours after employees of the 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 staff.
In a memo dated September 25, 2025, and signed by the Chief General Manager of Human Asset Management, Femi Adekunle, the refinery said the mass disengagement was part of a “total reorganisation” of the facility, citing alleged cases of sabotage in different units of the plant.
The notice directed affected staff to surrender all company property to their line managers and obtain exit clearance, while the finance department was instructed to compute benefits and entitlements for payment in line with their contracts.
The management thanked the dismissed workers for their service but insisted the decision was necessary for operational restructuring.
Reacting swiftly, PENGASSAN condemned the move, describing it as an act of bad faith and a calculated attempt to undermine workers’ constitutional rights to freedom of association. The union stressed that over 1,000 workers voluntarily joined its ranks after due process, with the company fully aware and involved in the verification.
PENGASSAN insisted the disengaged workers would be recalled, pointing out that Dangote management had earlier assured stakeholders—including the Federal Ministry of Labour and NUPENG—that it had no objection to unionisation.
The union further alleged that the refinery was attempting to intimidate workers by pushing for the arrest of its Caretaker Committee Chairman, whose only “offence” was exercising his right to union membership.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) is yet to issue a formal response, possibly due to a National Industrial Court order restraining it from disrupting operations at the refinery.
📩 Reported by: Stone Reporters News
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