The management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery has terminated the employment of all its Nigerian staff, citing an internal “reorganisation” of the plant, less than 24 hours after the majority of its workforce joined the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).
The news was first disclosed on Wednesday via X (formerly Twitter) by political commentator Imran Wakili, who alleged that the move was linked to unionisation efforts at the facility.
“Dangote Refinery has officially laid off all of its Nigerian workers under the guise of ‘reorganisation’, less than 24 hours after 90% of them joined PENGASSAN,” Wakili wrote.
A memo dated 25 September 2025 and reportedly signed by Femi Adekunle, the Chief General Manager of Human Asset Management, was shared alongside the post. In the document, the company cited a “total reorganisation” of the plant as the reason for the mass dismissal, attributing the decision to “reported cases of sabotage in different units of the refinery”.
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The notice instructed affected employees to return all company property to their line managers and to obtain official exit clearance. The finance department has been directed to calculate all terminal benefits and entitlements, in line with the terms of each individual’s employment contract.
Despite the suddenness of the move, the refinery’s management expressed appreciation to the outgoing staff for their contributions during their tenure.
The refinery has been engaged in an ongoing dispute with PENGASSAN over unionisation at the plant. Industry observers say tensions have been rising as workers have sought to organise under the union to demand improved conditions and representation.
The abrupt dismissals have sparked criticism from labour advocates and fuelled concerns over workers’ rights in one of Nigeria’s most high-profile industrial ventures. PENGASSAN is yet to release an official statement regarding the development.
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery, one of Africa’s largest private industrial projects, has been under significant scrutiny in recent months amid delays in full-scale operations and mounting labour tensions.
It remains unclear whether the latest move will face legal challenges or lead to intervention from the federal government or labour regulatory bodies.
