Tension looms as NLC talks tough over arrival of 89 Katsina labourers at Dangote Refinery

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has raised alarm over the recruitment of 89 unskilled labourers from Katsina State by a vendor associated with the Dangote Refinery in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, describing the move as a breach of labour laws and a possible security risk.

Through its Lagos State chapter, the NLC criticised both the Lagos State Government and the management of the refinery, which is valued at $28 billion, warning that the development could spark industrial unrest.

The situation gained public attention following a viral video showing the workers disembarking from a truck and assembling outside a company near the refinery site. Police were reportedly alerted by concerned residents.

In response, the Lagos State Police Command urged calm, confirming the legitimacy of the workers’ recruitment. In a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter), police spokesperson Benjamin Hundeyin said:“Upon receipt of the information on May 14, 2025, officers from the command immediately deployed to the location to ascertain the facts.“Preliminary investigations revealed that the young men in question, 89 in number, had arrived from Katsina State and were recruited to work as labourers at the Dangote Refinery in Lekki.”

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Despite the police assurance, the NLC insisted that the recruitment process disregarded local employment priorities and posed a potential risk.

Speaking in Abuja after the National Executive Council meeting of the National Union of Food Beverages and Tobacco Employees (NUFBTE), Lagos NLC chairperson Comrade Funmi Sessi expressed strong disapproval.

“My position is that what the Dangote Refinery did is very wrong,” Sessi said.“These people are low-income earners. The rule of engagement and labour rules have stated clearly that 70 per cent of those in the locality should be given the opportunity while 30 per cent can be given to those who have skills.“Which kind of skills will they tell us that these people have that the young people who are unemployed in the locality don’t have? Which competence don’t those people in the community have? This is an aberration.”

Sessi further questioned why such workers were not absorbed into Dangote operations in their region of origin.“I believe Dangote can’t do this. He has companies in all parts of this country; why couldn’t he recruit these guys for his company in the northern part and reserve these ones for those in the South, where the refinery is situated?”

The NLC called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Federal Ministry of Labour to step in and ensure the workers are returned to their region.
Sessi said, “Anyway, this is not the first time he is doing this. Dangote is fond of bringing in Indians and other expatriates as technicians.He prefers to bring foreigners who don’t even have the knowledge of our own local people. This is unacceptable to us.“We are already calling him out. This is the first series of it. We are also using this opportunity to tell the government of Lagos State and the Federal Ministry of Labour that Dangote has committed an aberration of the highest order.“Those guys should be taken back to Dangote’s companies in the northern part, not in Lagos State. If Dangote refuses to do this, we will involve the NLC at the national level to fight this act of bringing 89 unskilled workers to Lagos State.”

In its response, the Dangote Refinery distanced itself from direct involvement in the recruitment. A company spokesperson stated that the workers were hired by an external contractor.

“We did not know anything about them. They were brought in by one of our vendors, working in the refinery.“And as you know, for a project of that magnitude, we have so many vendors, working for us.“We are already investigating the matter too,” said the spokesperson.

(DAILY TRUST)