The Dangote Group plans to transfer engineers sacked from its refinery for joining the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) to its sugar and cement plants, with some potentially moving to its operations abroad. The company also intends to hire new engineers to fill the gaps, according to sources familiar with the matter.
The decision follows a heated dispute that saw PENGASSAN shut down oil and gas facilities from Sunday to Tuesday, protesting the dismissal of 800 workers allegedly fired for unionizing. Dangote Refinery, however, claimed the sackings targeted only a few workers accused of sabotaging operations by leaking sensitive information. The strike disrupted national oil, gas, and power production, prompting federal government intervention to broker peace.
A refinery source expressed frustration over the loss, noting that many of the affected engineers were fresh graduates trained abroad by Dangote to commission the 650,000-barrel-per-day facility in Lagos’ Lekki Free Zone. “These were Nigeria’s first engineers to commission a refinery of this scale. You can’t buy that experience,” the source said, lamenting the cost of training new hires who lack similar expertise. The source emphasized that a refinery allows “minimal error,” making sabotage a serious risk.
On allegations of low pay, a consultant argued that higher salaries for expatriates are standard in the industry’s early stages, noting that Nigerians working abroad also enjoy similar perks. “Refineries don’t pay like upstream oil companies,” the consultant added. Another source confirmed the redeployment process is underway, with workers assigned to various Dangote units in Nigeria and beyond on a case-by-case basis.
The refinery has faced recent criticism, with NUPENG and petroleum marketers accusing it of monopolistic practices and unfair pricing. NUPENG also clashed with Dangote over tanker drivers’ union rights, while PENGASSAN’s actions led to fuel supply halts and nationwide queues. Government mediation has eased tensions, with Dangote committing to honor agreements reached during talks. Stakeholders are now watching to ensure the redeployment and other terms are fully implemented.
