Nigeria’s Dangote Petroleum Refinery has laid off several employees, citing acts of sabotage that it says jeopardised safety and disrupted operations. The dismissals, confirmed on September 25, 2025, were reported by Reuters after internal company communications referenced “repeated acts of sabotage” affecting efficiency.
The refinery’s management stressed that the move was part of a broader reorganisation rather than a sudden or arbitrary action. In a statement reported by The Guardian Nigeria, the company said, “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.”
However, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has criticised the dismissals, claiming they disproportionately targeted employees who had recently joined the union. The union alleged that some Nigerian staff were locked out of the facility, while expatriate workers received different treatment.
The development has highlighted growing tensions between management and labour groups as the refinery navigates its early operational challenges. PENGASSAN described the move as a violation of workers’ rights and warned it could escalate disputes in Nigeria’s energy sector.
The Dangote Refinery, with a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, began operations in January 2024 and is considered the largest in Africa. In August, the refinery shut its gasoline unit for maintenance expected to last up to three months, a period during which fuel oil exports have risen, as noted by Reuters.
