THE management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals has announced a major restructuring of its operations, citing repeated cases of sabotage within its 650,000-barrels-per-day facility.
In an internal memo dated September 24, 2025, and signed by Chief General Manager of Human Asset Management, Femi Adekunle, the company said the reorganisation was necessary following “recent cases of reported sabotage in different units of the refinery, leading to major safety concerns.”
Employees affected were instructed to return company property to their supervisors and await clearance before receiving entitlements, which the Finance Department was directed to compute.
However, a senior official of the refinery dismissed reports of mass sackings, stressing that the move was not a termination exercise but a system “clean-up” to address sabotage and protect company assets.
“Yes, the letter is authentic, but the interpretation is wrong. This is not about union activities or mass layoffs. It is simply a measure to identify those responsible for sabotage and plug operational leakages. Once the issues are resolved, affected staff can be reabsorbed,” the official told journalists.
He explained that the decision was carried out abruptly to prevent those involved from concealing evidence of wrongdoing.
“Some acts of sabotage have been detected repeatedly, and the company is only trying to safeguard its assets,” he said, adding that operations remain ongoing with both Nigerian and expatriate staff still working at the plant.
A copy of the letter obtained by journalists confirmed that employees whose services were deemed no longer required would be disengaged from September 25, 2025, in line with their employment terms, and would be entitled to benefits after clearance.
The development comes as the refinery continues to grapple with industrial disputes.
Recently, the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers accused the company of unfair labour practices, while petroleum marketers raised concerns over rigid product distribution policies.
The $20 billion refinery, which began operations in 2024, was commissioned with hopes of reducing Nigeria’s heavy reliance on imported petroleum products.