Lagos, 26 September 2025 — Heavy wahala don burst for Dangote Petroleum Refinery as Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) don para say dem go picket the refinery after the sack of over 800 Nigerian workers wey just join union.
The refinery management bin talk say na “reorganisation” dey happen to protect the plant from sabotage. But PENGASSAN say na lie — na because workers join union the company chase dem comot.
Dangote Talk: “Na Sabotage, No Be Union”
Inside letter wey surface online Thursday, refinery management order staff wey dem sack make dem return company property. Dem yan say the sack dey necessary to stop repeated sabotage wey fit cause danger for refinery operations.
Dangote management later release statement say na only small number of staff e affect, and over 3,000 Nigerians still dey work for the refinery. Dem add say dem dey respect labour rights and dem commitment to create sustainable jobs no go shake.
PENGASSAN Reply: “Na Discrimination Against Nigerians”
But PENGASSAN General Secretary, Lumumba Okugbawa, no gree. He talk say the sack dey linked to the fact say workers unionise as FG don direct.
“When witch cry for night and pikin die for morning, you go ask who kill am? Na clear victimisation,” Okugbawa talk.
E accuse Dangote of replacing Nigerians with over 2,000 Indian expatriates, many of dem wey no even get proper immigration papers. He quote Labour Act Section 7 wey no allow discrimination for workplace.
PENGASSAN don gather National Executive Council to decide whether dem go protest or picket the refinery, even though Dangote already get court injunction against union blockade.
Labour Wahala Still Dey Boil
This matter no be first time wahala go land for Dangote refinery. Just recently, NUPENG members shut down operations over tanker drivers’ union rights.
As e be, refinery fit soon turn battle ground between organised labour and Africa’s biggest private refinery.
