Showdown Looms: PENGASSAN Vows To Storm Dangote Refinery Over Sack Of 800 Workers

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has threatened to picket the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals over the alleged dismissal of more than 800 Nigerian workers who recently joined the union.

The union accused the refinery of replacing the sacked employees with over 2,000 Indian expatriates, branding the move as unjust and anti-labour.

In a statement on Friday, the refinery denied reports of mass layoffs, maintaining that only a “few workers” were affected. It explained that the disengagement was part of a wider reorganisation aimed at addressing repeated sabotage incidents that posed safety risks at the 650,000 barrels-per-day facility.

The company’s letter to affected staff read in part:
“In view of the many recent cases of reported sabotage in different units of the refinery leading to major safety concerns, the management is constrained to carry out a total reorganisation of the plant. Consequently, your services are no longer required effective from Thursday, September 25, 2025. Kindly surrender all company property to your line manager and obtain clearance accordingly.”

Management further assured that refinery operations remain unaffected, insisting that workers uninvolved in sabotage had no reason to fear.

PENGASSAN Alleges Retaliation for Unionising
Reacting, PENGASSAN General Secretary, Lumumba Okugbawa, accused the refinery of targeting employees who voluntarily joined the union.

“As of Thursday, the workers had completed the process of unionisation as directed by the Federal Government. Over 800 agreed to join the union. The management identified them through a headcount, and by the next day, letters of dismissal were issued. They called it reorganisation, but over 2,000 expatriates from India were retained while Nigerians were sent home,” he said.

Okugbawa revealed that the union’s National Executive Council would decide its next steps, which may include protests or picketing, despite an existing court injunction obtained by the refinery.

He added, “In this Nigeria, you’re firing Nigerians and keeping expatriates who contribute far less than our people. Is that reorganisation? Let’s use our tongues to count our teeth.”