A dispute has broken out between the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the management of Dangote Refinery over claims of mass layoffs of Nigerian staff and their replacement with foreign workers.
In a statement on Thursday, PENGASSAN alleged that the refinery terminated the employment of more than 800 Nigerians and replaced them with over 2,000 Indian nationals, some of whom it claimed lacked valid immigration papers.
“This unjust dismissal undermines the welfare of Nigerian workers and violates the rights guaranteed under our labour laws,” said PENGASSAN General Secretary Lumumba Okugbawa. The union warned that it would not tolerate the “marginalisation of Nigerian workers in favour of foreign labour,” issuing an ultimatum for the reinstatement of all dismissed staff.
PENGASSAN said it has convened an emergency National Executive Council meeting to determine its next steps, cautioning that failure by management to comply could trigger legal and industrial action.
However, Dangote Refinery denied the allegations, insisting that over 3,000 Nigerians are currently employed at the facility. In a statement, the company acknowledged a recent reorganisation but said only a small number of staff were affected.
It linked the restructuring to “intermittent cases of sabotage within the facility with dire consequences on human life and safety,” describing the move as a necessary audit to safeguard operations.
“The decision was taken in the best interest of the refinery and the thousands of people whose livelihoods depend on it,” management said, adding that it remains committed to internationally accepted labour standards and non-interference in union rights.
The refinery, Africa’s largest, said it would continue to engage regulators, employees, and stakeholders to ensure transparency.
