TUC Threatens Dangote Refinery Strike Over 800 Job Cuts

Union Demands Immediate Worker Reinstatement

Nigeria’s Trade Union Congress has put all affiliate unions on strike alert over what it calls “anti-worker” policies at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery. Dr. Nuhu Toro, the TUC’s General Secretary, didn’t mince words in a statement condemning what appears to be the termination of workers simply for exercising their constitutional rights.

“We stand in full solidarity with the affected workers and with their union, our affiliate PENGASSAN, whose members have been victimised merely for declaring membership,” the statement read. According to the TUC, these actions seem to violate Section 40 of the Nigerian Constitution, not to mention Nigeria’s commitments under International Labour Organisation conventions.

The union’s demands are straightforward, if not entirely realistic given corporate attitudes these days. They want immediate reinstatement of all fired workers, a public apology (which might be asking a lot), and an independent investigation involving the Ministry of Labour and ILO stakeholders.

PENGASSAN Orders Service Withdrawal Nationwide

Meanwhile, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria has told its members to withdraw services from Dangote facilities nationwide. After what must have been a tense emergency meeting on September 27, 2025, PENGASSAN’s General Secretary Lumumba Okugbawa signed off on a circular that makes some pretty serious accusations, namely that the refinery replaced dismissed Nigerians with “over 2,000 Indians.”

This whole mess started when Dangote refinery sent out termination letters on September 24, citing alleged sabotage that supposedly threatened safety at the massive 650,000-barrel-per-day facility. PENGASSAN puts the number of fired workers at around 800, though exact figures are hard to pin down in these situations.

If PENGASSAN members actually follow through with the service withdrawal, it could seriously mess with supplies to the refinery. That’s not just bad news for Dangote, it ripples through Nigeria’s entire petroleum sector.

Dangote Management Disputes Mass Dismissal Claims

Dangote’s management tells a different story, naturally. They deny any mass firings, instead framing recent changes as internal reorganization meant to boost efficiency. Company officials insist most workers are still Nigerian, which directly contradicts union claims about widespread foreign replacements.

The refinery has long positioned itself as key to Nigeria’s energy independence goals, a narrative that sounds great in press releases but may be harder to maintain with labor disputes making headlines. This current mess raises uncomfortable questions about employment practices at what’s supposed to be a flagship facility.

Industry watchers suggest that labor troubles at big industrial sites often mirror deeper tensions between foreign investment priorities and local job expectations. It’s a familiar pattern in Nigeria’s oil sector, though that doesn’t make it any less messy when it happens.

Economic Implications for Nigeria’s Energy Sector

The standoff carries real risks for Nigeria’s petroleum industry. When you’re talking about a facility that can process 650,000 barrels daily, a huge chunk of the country’s refining capacity, any operational hiccups become everyone’s problem pretty quickly.

Labor disputes at refineries have a way of spreading through Nigeria’s downstream petroleum market like wildfire. Fuel prices, availability, everything gets touched. The timing is particularly awkward since Nigeria is still trying to reduce its dependence on petroleum imports through domestic refining expansion.

Anyone who’s followed Nigeria’s oil sector knows how localized disputes can balloon into nationwide headaches. The TUC’s threat of coordinated strikes across multiple industries? That amplifies the stakes considerably.

Government intervention seems likely at this point, though how effective that’ll be remains to be seen. The involvement of international labor organizations also adds some diplomatic complexity to what started as a straightforward employment dispute.