The Dangote refinery has plunged into a fresh crisis the alleged mass sack of its Nigerian staff, barely 24 hours after they joined the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).
The development was first made public by political commentator Imran Wakili.
According to a memo dated September 25, 2025, and signed by the Chief General Manager of Human Asset Management, Femi Adekunle, the refinery said the mass dismissal was part of a “total re-organisation” of the plant, citing alleged sabotage in some units of the facility.
The notice directed affected staff to immediately return all company property to their line managers and obtain exit clearance, while the finance department was ordered to compute their benefits and entitlements in line with terms of employment.
The management also thanked the workers for their service.
Festus Osifo, President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), confirmed the mass sack on Friday.
The development comes against the backdrop of a series of disputes between Dangote Refinery and labour unions over workers’ rights to unionize.
In recent weeks, the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) had declared a strike, later suspended after Federal Government intervention.
Dangote Refinery had also secured an interim injunction restraining the unions from embarking on industrial action, but the order has since expired.
The refinery, with a processing capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, remains at the centre of controversy as organised labour vows to resist what it calls an attack on workers’ rights.
The spokesman of the Dangote Group, Anthony Chiejina, is yet to respond to The Witness inquiries as at press time.
