The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has threatened to picket the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals following the alleged sack of over 800 Nigerian workers who recently joined the union.

Naijaonpoint reports that the union accused the refinery of recruiting more than 2,000 Indian nationals to replace the affected staff, describing the move as unfair and anti-labour.

In a statement on Friday, the refinery dismissed claims of mass layoffs, insisting that only a “few workers” were disengaged as part of an ongoing reorganisation aimed at curbing sabotage within the 650,000 barrels per day facility.

The management explained, “In view of the many recent cases of reported sabotage in different units of the petroleum refinery leading to major safety concerns, the management is constrained to carry out a total reorganisation of the plant.

“As a consequence of this development, we wish to inform you that your services are no longer required, with effect from the eve of Thursday, the 25th of September, 2025. Please surrender all the company’s properties in your possession to your line manager and obtain an exit clearance accordingly.”

The company, however, maintained that refinery operations were ongoing and assured those not involved in sabotage that they had nothing to fear.

‘Workers Sacked For Unionising’ — PENGASSAN

Reacting, PENGASSAN General Secretary, Lumumba Okugbawa, in an interview with Punch, alleged that the refinery’s action was directly linked to the workers’ decision to join the union.

“When the witch cries in the night and the baby dies in the morning, what do you expect?” he asked.

He said, “As of Thursday, the workers had completed the process of unionisation as directed by the Federal Government. Over 800 agreed to join the union. The management did a headcount and discovered those who voluntarily joined. The next thing we saw was a letter firing all Nigerian staff.

“They said it was reorganisation. But is it only expatriates that will do the reorganisation? Over 2,000 expatriates from India were retained while Nigerians were sent home.”

Okugbawa disclosed that PENGASSAN was awaiting the decision of its National Executive Council before announcing its next line of action.

Asked whether the union would proceed with picketing despite a subsisting court injunction obtained by Dangote Refinery, he said, “We could picket the refinery or embark on protest. We have engaged the affected workers and told them to remain calm. But if the management refuses to see reason, we’ll use all constitutionally given powers to act.”

He warned that the development was a blow to local labour, saying, “In this Nigeria, you’re firing Nigerians and keeping expatriates to work, expatriates who are doing little or nothing compared to what Nigerians can do. Is that reorganisation? Let’s use our tongues to count our teeth.”