PENGASSAN Threatens to Picket Dangote Refinery Over Sack of 800 Nigerian Workers

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

PENGASSAN accused the refinery of replacing the sacked workers with over 2,000 Indian nationals, many of whom it claimed lacked valid immigration papers. The association argued that the move contravenes Nigeria’s Labour Act and Trade Union Act, which prohibit discrimination and guarantee the right to unionise.

General Secretary Lumumba Okugbawa said the mass sack coincided with the workers’ decision to join PENGASSAN as directed by the Federal Government.“Over 800 agreed to join the union. Management conducted a headcount, confirmed this, and then issued dismissal letters to Nigerian staff. Meanwhile, expatriates were retained. Is that reorganisation?” he told newsmen.

Okugbawa said the union is considering protest actions despite a subsisting court order obtained by Dangote against picketing. “We are waiting for the National Executive Council. If management fails to recall the workers, we will explore all constitutional and legal means to defend their rights” he stated.

In a strongly worded statement, PENGASSAN described the sack as “a blatant disregard for workers’ rights” and urged the company to reinstate all affected Nigerians immediately. The association warned that the trend of marginalising local workers in favour of expatriates was unacceptable.

Refinery Defends Action

The Dangote Refinery dismissed the allegations, insisting that only a few workers were disengaged as part of a reorganisation prompted by repeated acts of sabotage that raised safety concerns.

“The refinery continues to employ over 3,000 Nigerians. This decision was taken to protect staff and safeguard the refinery as a strategic national asset. Our commitment to labour rights remains unwavering” the management said in a statement.

It stressed that the company upholds international labour standards, including the right to unionise and continues to recruit Nigerian talents through graduate trainee and experienced hire programmes.

The refinery was recently shut down by the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers over a separate unionisation dispute involving tanker drivers before a court injunction halted further blockades.