Nigeria’s oil and gas sector may be heading for fresh tension as the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) summoned an emergency meeting after Dangote Refinery sacked workers who joined the union.
The National President of PENGASSAN, Comrade Festus Osifo, confirmed this development in an interview on Friday.
He explained that the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) will meet over the weekend to decide on the next line of action.
“We will call for an emergency NEC meeting by the weekend to decide on the way forward,” Osifo told DAILY POST.
This comes after reports revealed that Dangote Refinery terminated the appointments of some Nigerian workers following their membership in PENGASSAN.
The union has vowed that the affected workers will be recalled.
However, Dangote Refinery confirmed the termination but denied that it was linked to union activities.
The company insisted the decision followed internal security concerns.
According to a statement released on Friday:
“This exercise is not arbitrary. It has become necessary to safeguard the refinery from repeated acts of sabotage that have raised safety concerns and affected operational efficiency.”
The statement further stressed that the move was in the “best interest of the refinery” as intermittent sabotage in different units of the facility posed threats to human lives and operations.
Dangote Refinery added that only a small number of staff were affected, noting that over 3,000 Nigerians remain actively employed.
It also highlighted ongoing recruitment of Nigerian talent through its graduate trainee and experienced hire programmes.
Meanwhile, PENGASSAN has accused Dangote Refinery of replacing sacked Nigerian staff with Indian and other foreign expatriates.
This allegation, if proven true, could worsen tensions within the industry.
Osifo maintained that the union will not back down until justice is served.
He insisted that “all sacked workers will be recalled,” warning that the NEC’s decision may include strike action if necessary.
Dangote Refinery emphasized its commitment to labour rights despite the controversy.
“We recognise and uphold internationally accepted labour principles, including the right of every worker to freely decide whether or not to join a union.
Our commitment to workers’ rights is unwavering,” the statement read.
The refinery, which has a 650,000-barrel-per-day capacity, reiterated that its priority is to protect the national asset for Nigerians, Africa, and its global partners.
