Dangote Refinery has confirmed that it terminated the employment of several Nigerian workers who recently joined the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).
The company made the clarification in a statement posted on its official X account on Friday, following reports that the refinery had sacked workers over union membership.
According to the statement, the dismissals were linked to “repeated acts of sabotage” that posed safety threats and disrupted operations.
“The Dangote Petroleum Refinery wishes to clarify recent reports concerning the ongoing reorganisation within its facility. This exercise is not arbitrary. It has become necessary to safeguard the refinery from repeated acts of sabotage that have raised safety concerns and affected operational efficiency.
“The foregoing decision was taken in the best interest of the refinery as a result of intermittent cases of sabotage in the various units of the refinery with dire consequences on human life and related safety concerns,” the statement read.
The refinery maintained that the decision was not targeted at workers for unionizing but was instead a protective step to ensure operational stability.
“We remain vigilant to our internal systems and vulnerabilities to ensure the long-term stability of this strategic national asset. It is imperative to protect the refinery for the benefit of Nigerians, our partners across Africa, and the thousands of people whose livelihoods depend on it,” it added.
Dangote Refinery further stressed that more than 3,000 Nigerians are still actively employed at the facility and that recruitment through graduate trainee programmes and experienced hire processes is ongoing.
It also reassured that it upholds global labour principles, including the right of employees to freely join unions.
“The Dangote Petroleum Refinery exists to serve Nigerians, to strengthen Africa’s energy independence, and to create decent, sustainable jobs. We will continue to work in partnership with our employees, regulators, and stakeholders to uphold the highest standards of safety, transparency, and accountability,” the company concluded.
