Dangote Group Denies Victimisation as Sacked Refinery Workers Protest Redeployment

Some engineers recently dismissed by the Dangote Refinery have expressed outrage over alleged plans to redeploy them to other subsidiaries of the Dangote Group — including its sugar and cement plants — after what they describe as victimisation for joining the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).

Speaking anonymously to The PUNCH on Wednesday, the affected workers said the company’s decision to transfer them to unrelated business units was unfair and amounted to punishment for exercising their right to unionise.

However, the Dangote Group denied the allegations, insisting that the sacked workers were dismissed for acts of sabotage and not because of their affiliation with PENGASSAN.

Last week, PENGASSAN embarked on a three-day nationwide shutdown of oil and gas facilities to protest the alleged dismissal of about 800 workers for joining the union. The industrial action caused disruptions in fuel supply, oil production, and power generation before government intervention led to a temporary truce.

Although the Federal Government directed the company to recall or redeploy the affected workers, the engineers said they had yet to be contacted or reinstated as of Tuesday.

> “We were employed by Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals, not the Dangote Group. It’s unfair to send petrochemical engineers to sugar or cement plants. That’s not our field. This feels like victimisation,” one of the workers lamented.



They claimed they have been out of work since September 25, when access to the refinery was restricted, alleging that Indian nationals are now the only ones operating the facility.

> “All Nigerian engineers were sent away because we joined PENGASSAN. Only Indians are currently running the refinery,” one source alleged.



The refinery, however, previously dismissed such claims, stating that “over 3,000 Nigerians continue to work actively in our refinery, while only a small number of staff were affected as part of a reorganisation.”

The engineers maintained that their decision to join PENGASSAN came after management publicly declared that workers were free to unionise, adding that poor remuneration pushed them to seek better representation.

> “We wouldn’t have joined PENGASSAN if we were well paid. Our salary is around ₦400,000, and after deductions, it’s even less,” one of them said.



They also refuted claims of sabotage, stressing their loyalty to the $20 billion project.

> “We helped build this refinery. How can we sabotage what we worked so hard for? Our only ‘crime’ is joining PENGASSAN,” they said.



In response, a senior Dangote official insisted the dismissal was strictly disciplinary.

> “Those workers were sacked because of sabotage, not union activities. Their salaries have been paid. We still have PENGASSAN members in the refinery,” the official told The PUNCH.



He added that staff mobility within the group was standard practice:

> “Everyone in Dangote can be redeployed — from cement to refinery, sugar, salt, or fertiliser. It’s part of the business structure.”



The official also described the workers’ pay complaints as “outright falsehood,” saying engineers earn far above ₦400,000 monthly.

The Dangote Refinery has recently faced increasing scrutiny from multiple industry bodies, including the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN), who earlier accused the plant of “monopolistic practices and unfair pricing” following its decision to slash petrol prices.