The Dangote Petroleum Refinery dismissed about 800 workers, a move that sparked a labour crisis and quickly escalated into a national issue. Management described it as a restructuring exercise, but insiders later revealed that the real trigger was a WhatsApp group allegedly used to leak confidential refinery operations.
Dispute Over WhatsApp Group and Unionisation
Officials of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) reportedly contacted refinery workers, urging them to join the union and promising protection. To coordinate, a WhatsApp group was created where forms were shared and daily reports on refinery activities were posted.
Management viewed the group as a breach of trust. According to insiders, the shared content contained sensitive operational details. Executives interpreted the activity as sabotage. “Reports from the refinery were being shared daily. Management saw it as a serious threat and acted quickly,” one source explained.
On 25 September, Dangote Group issued termination letters to the affected workers. In a memo signed by Femi Adekunle, Chief General Manager of Human Asset Management, the company said the measure aimed to safeguard the refinery. The letter cited repeated sabotage that raised safety concerns and disrupted operations, stressing that the decision was necessary for long-term stability.
The sack prompted strong backlash. PENGASSAN condemned the move and ordered its members nationwide to withdraw their services. It also directed them to block gas supply to the refinery, accusing management of anti-labour practices and misinformation.
Dangote Refinery countered by declaring the order illegal. The company argued that PENGASSAN had no right to interfere with third-party contracts for gas and crude oil supply. It warned that such disruption could harm Nigeria’s economy and urged the federal government and security agencies to intervene.
By 28 September, PENGASSAN members were picketing oil and gas regulators in Abuja. At the NMDPRA headquarters, protesters carried banners reading: “Dangote Must Obey” and “Dangote is Not Bigger Than the Country.” In response, the National Industrial Court in Abuja issued an order restraining PENGASSAN from cutting crude and gas supply to the refinery. At the same time, Labour Minister Muhammad Dingyadi opened talks to defuse the dispute.
Agreement Restores Calm
Negotiations, which began at the Ministry of Labour and later moved to the Office of the National Security Adviser, lasted for days. In the early hours of Wednesday, the parties reached an agreement.
The deal confirmed that Nigerian workers have the right to unionise. Dangote Group also agreed to redeploy the disengaged employees to other companies within the conglomerate, without loss of pay. Both sides pledged that no worker would face victimisation over the standoff.
The resolution eased tensions after a week of protests, strike threats, and legal battles. For now, the settlement has restored industrial peace at Africa’s largest refinery, though the conflict exposed deep fault lines in labour relations across the oil and gas sector.
