…Complete shutdown of all workplaces, amenities others, from 12:01 a.m. on Monday
…IOCs to ramp down fuel manufacturing linked to Dangote facility
By Victor Ahiuma-Younger
The Petroleum and Pure Gasoline Senior Workers Affiliation of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has ordered its members throughout the nation to withdraw their companies following the alleged mass sack of over 800 Nigerian employees by Dangote Refinery.
In a round issued on Saturday, September 27, 2025, after an emergency Nationwide Govt Council (NEC) assembly, the union accused the refinery of unfair labour practices, together with changing the sacked Nigerians with over 2,000 overseas employees.
The round, signed by PENGASSAN’s Basic Secretary, Lumumba Okugbawa, described the motion as “an affront to Nigerian employees, a violation of Nigeria’s Structure, labour legal guidelines, and worldwide labour requirements.”
PENGASSAN mentioned the choice to sack its members for becoming a member of the union was a deliberate assault on employees’ rights. “No man or firm, regardless of how extremely positioned, is above the regulation. The sack of Nigerians and their alternative with foreigners is disloyal to a rustic that has given the refinery unprecedented incentives at taxpayers’ expense,” the assertion learn.
To press house its calls for, the NEC directed: “All PENGASSAN members in discipline areas to down instruments from 6:00 a.m. on Sunday, September 28, 2025.
“A complete nationwide shutdown by all members throughout workplaces, firms, establishments, and companies from 12:01 a.m. on Monday, September 29, 2025.
“Speedy suspension of all crude oil and fuel provide to Dangote Refinery and its petrochemical operations.
Worldwide Oil Corporations (IOCs) to ramp down fuel manufacturing linked to the refinery.”
The union additionally declared that members would embark on 24-hour prayers, calling on authorities to intervene and compel Dangote Refinery to respect Nigeria’s labour legal guidelines.
PENGASSAN vowed that the strike will proceed till the sacked employees are reinstated, warning: “An damage to 1 is an damage to all. No man is greater than our nation.”
Nonetheless, Dangote Refinery sources dismissed the union’s claims as exaggerated. The administration insisted that no mass sack had taken place, explaining that the corporate was solely present process an inside reorganization to boost effectivity. The refinery maintained that almost all of its workforce remained Nigerian, opposite to PENGASSAN’s allegations.
PENGASSAN had additionally earlier accused the administration of the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals of transferring its members, together with Nigerian engineers, to different subsidiaries in an try and weaken its presence on the facility.
In a petition by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals Department, addressed to the Lagos Zonal Chairman of PENGASSAN, the union alleged that Nigerian engineers who joined the affiliation had been redeployed to Dangote Sugar and different enterprise items below circumstances it considers punitive.
In accordance with the petition by Department Chairman, Abdulfatai Muhammed, and Secretary, Eseoghene Alternative, the motion contradicts Part 40 of the 1999 Structure, which ensures employees’ proper to freedom of affiliation.
The union additionally raised issues about working situations on the refinery, alleging that many engineers lack enough private protecting tools, PPE, and are uncovered to hazardous environments with out hazard allowance, medical insurance, or compensation.
On remuneration, PENGASSAN claimed that Nigerian engineers on the refinery are among the many lowest paid within the midstream and upstream oil and fuel sector, regardless of the delicate nature of their jobs. It additional claimed that expatriates occupy nearly all of prime administration positions on the refinery, opposite to the intent of the Nigerian Oil and Gasoline Business Content material Growth Act of 2010.
The petition additional criticised the refinery’s latest determination to promote petrol completely in {dollars}, warning that the coverage might weaken the naira, gasoline inflation, and have an effect on Nigeria’s vitality safety.
“The constant sample of conduct displays victimisation of Nigerian employees, breach of the structure, and insurance policies that undermine the nationwide curiosity,” the union said.
The affiliation known as on the management of PENGASSAN, the Commerce Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, and related authorities companies to urgently intervene, describing the matter as one among “pressing nationwide significance.”
The submit PENGASSAN directs members to begin nationwide strike over mass sack of members by Dangote Refinery appeared first on Vanguard News.
