Fresh controversy has erupted at the $20 billion Dangote Refinery as some recently dismissed engineers accused the company of victimization and unfair redeployment following their reported decision to join the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).
The affected workers told The PUNCH under anonymity that management planned to move them to other subsidiaries within the Dangote Group — including the cement, sugar, and salt divisions — after they were sacked from the refinery. They alleged that the move was a disguised punishment for unionizing.
“We were employed by the refinery, not the group. Sending us to cement or sugar factories is unfair. Most of us are petrochemical engineers — this is pure victimization,” one of the engineers said.
The refinery has, however, denied the allegations, insisting that no worker was dismissed for joining a union.
In a statement to The PUNCH on Wednesday, the company maintained that only a “few individuals” were removed for acts of sabotage and that thousands of Nigerian workers, including PENGASSAN members, remain employed at the refinery.
“Those affected were let go for legitimate disciplinary reasons. We still have union members on site. Everyone at Dangote knows transfers are part of the business model,” a senior official stated, adding that the company’s salary structure “is far above ₦400,000 monthly.”
The crisis began last week when PENGASSAN alleged that about 800 refinery employees were dismissed after attempting to join the union. The association subsequently shut down oil and gas installations nationwide, causing a temporary drop in power supply and fuel production.
Following the intervention of the Federal Government, Dangote was directed to reinstate or redeploy the affected workers. But several engineers said they have remained at home since September 25, unable to return to the refinery or receive official postings.
“Security stopped us at the gate when we tried to resume. We’ve been idle since then,” one worker lamented, claiming that “only Indian nationals” are currently operating the refinery.
The engineers also refuted the company’s sabotage claim, stressing that they helped build the refinery “from scratch” and had no reason to undermine it.
“We love this project. We worked day and night to make it succeed. Calling us saboteurs is heartbreaking,” they said.
The Dangote Group has recently faced multiple industrial and regulatory disputes. The refinery earlier clashed with the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) over petrol pricing and alleged monopolistic practices.
The standoff worsened after PENGASSAN joined the fray, directing its members to halt crude and gas deliveries to the refinery. Government mediation later restored calm, though many of the agreed resolutions are still pending implementation.
Amid the fallout, influential Nigerians, including Emir of Kano Muhammad Sanusi II, Bishop Matthew Kukah, and activist Aisha Yesufu, have urged caution, warning labour unions not to scare off investors.
