Tension as PENGASSAN tells Dangote to reinstate 800 sacked workers or face showdown

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has given Dangote Refinery a firm ultimatum to reinstate over 800 Nigerian employees allegedly dismissed and replaced with foreign nationals, or brace for legal and industrial action.

The warning was contained in a statement signed by PENGASSAN’s General Secretary, Mr. Lumumba Okugbawa, and circulated to journalists on Friday in Abuja.

The union recalled that workers who aligned with PENGASSAN were first denied access to the refinery premises, compelled to bear transportation costs after company buses were withdrawn, and eventually served with mass dismissal letters.

PENGASSAN condemned the sackings as “anti-labour” and a direct breach of Nigeria’s labour laws. The association further accused the refinery of importing more than 2,000 Indian nationals—many allegedly without valid immigration papers—to replace qualified local staff.

“We are deeply saddened to report the unjust termination of more than 800 Nigerian workers, whose dedication and service have been integral to the operations of this plant.

“Instead of valuing and retaining this workforce, management has chosen to replace these qualified Nigerians with foreign workers, in clear breach of the Labour Act and the Trade Union Act,” the statement read.

The union stressed that it would not tolerate what it described as exploitation and disregard for the dignity of Nigerian workers. It vowed to activate all legal options provided under the Constitution and relevant labour legislation if the refinery fails to reverse the decision.

“PENGASSAN, therefore, urges the management of Dangote Refinery to recall all terminated Nigerian workers.

“Failure to comply will leave us with no option but to take every legal action available to us as an association,” it warned.

To decide the next line of action, the union has scheduled an emergency meeting of its National Executive Council (NEC). It also called on the Nigerian public to support the cause.

“This slave labour of our brothers and sisters must not be supported. An injury to one is an injury to all,” PENGASSAN declared.