The management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery has denied reports that it sacked all Nigerian workers at its $20bn facility, insisting that over 3,000 employees remain in active service.
In a statement on Friday, the company said the recent exercise was only a “reorganisation” to address cases of sabotage discovered within different units of the refinery.
“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 management said.
It explained that only a “very small number” of staff were affected and assured that the refinery remains committed to creating sustainable jobs for Nigerians through graduate trainee programmes and experienced hire recruitment.
“We exist to serve Nigerians, strengthen Africa’s energy independence, and create decent, sustainable jobs. Over 3,000 Nigerians continue to work actively in our Petroleum Refinery, at present,” the statement added.
A senior official of the refinery also told The PUNCH that the exercise was misunderstood. “Yes, the letter is correct. But the interpretation is wrong. It has nothing to do with unionism or anything like that,” the official said.
The official further explained that the move was a precautionary step. “Some acts of sabotage have been noticed repeatedly and the company is only trying to safeguard its assets. Also, you cannot do things like this and give two weeks’ notice; otherwise, those in the act would cover up and complicate issues,” the source added.
The clarification comes after reports claimed the company dismissed workers less than 24 hours after about 90 percent of them joined the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria.
Reacting to the initial report, PENGASSAN President, Festus Osifo, who also heads the Trade Union Congress, confirmed the letter but expressed confidence that the refinery would recall the affected workers.
“Yes, it is true. We saw the letter late last night. I can assure you that they will recall all of them,” Osifo said.
The refinery, with a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, started operations in 2024 and has since been at the centre of disputes with unions over labour rights and with marketers over product pricing and distribution.
As of Friday, operations at the facility were ongoing with both Nigerian and expatriate staff still at work.
