Dangote refinery dispute: NLC declares nationwide strike

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has directed its affiliate unions to begin full-scale mobilization for a nationwide strike in protest against what it described as the Dangote Group’s “deliberate anti-worker crusade” and persistent disregard for Nigeria’s labour laws.

The directive was contained in an internal memo signed by NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, on Monday, September 29, 2025. In the memo, Ajaero declared that the era of “pleading and fruitless dialogue” with the conglomerate was over, stressing that the time had come for “decisive, collective action.”

He noted that the current disputes involving the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) were merely symptoms of a deeper crisis in Dangote’s labour relations.

“For too long, the Dangote Group has operated like a state within a state, flouting Section 40 of the Nigerian Constitution, violating ILO Conventions 87 and 98, and treating our labour laws with contempt. Its facilities have become plantations of exploitation where workers’ dignity is deliberately crushed in pursuit of profit for a few.”

The NLC accused the company of union-busting, worker intimidation, and exploitation, while alleging that regulatory authorities had failed to hold it accountable.

The memo warned that organised labour would not be intimidated, adding: “The impunity of the Dangote Group must be met with the collective resistance of organised labour. No amount of propaganda or paid agents will stop us from defending workers’ rights, especially in the face of regulatory capture where the state appears to have abdicated its duty to hold this conglomerate accountable.

The blood and sweat of Nigerian workers built the Dangote empire; we will not allow it to become a monument to their oppression. Together we stand! Together, we will overcome!”