The management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals has embarked on a sweeping reorganisation of its operations and workforce following what it described as repeated acts of sabotage threatening the safety of its 650,000 barrels-per-day facility.
In a letter dated September 24, 2025, and signed by the Chief General Manager, Human Asset Management, Femi Adekunle, the company said it was “constrained to carry out a total reorganisation of the plant” after “many recent cases of reported sabotage in different units of the Petroleum Refinery leading to major safety concerns.”
Affected staff were directed to hand over all company property to their line managers and await clearance before receiving their entitlements, which the Finance Department would compute in line with their conditions of service.
However, a senior official of the refinery dismissed reports of a mass sack, explaining that the exercise was aimed at curbing sabotage rather than terminating workers indiscriminately. “Yes, the letter is correct. But the interpretation is wrong. The move was to plug leakages and protect the company’s assets. It doesn’t mean they have been sacked,” the official told The PUNCH on Friday.
He stressed that the decision was taken suddenly to prevent those allegedly involved in sabotage from covering their tracks. “You cannot do things like this and give two weeks’ notice; otherwise, those in the act would cover up and complicate issues,” he added.
The official also clarified that refinery operations were ongoing with both Nigerian and expatriate staff still active at the plant. “As we speak, people are still working at the refinery. Anyone who doesn’t have a hand in sabotage has nothing to worry about,” he said.
When contacted, Dangote spokesperson Anthony Chiejina did not respond to messages sent to him by our correspondent.
The disengagement letter, which was addressed to all staff of Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals FZE and Dangote Industries Free Zone Development Company, stated that employees would be paid all benefits and entitlements once they obtained exit clearance certificates.
The Dangote Refinery, which began operations in 2024 amid high expectations of ending Nigeria’s dependence on imported petroleum products, has faced turbulence in recent months. It has been involved in disputes with labour unions, including the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), which accused the company of “high-handedness” and warned against what it described as unfair labour practices.
The plant has also been at loggerheads with petroleum marketers over pricing and distribution arrangements, which marketers allege could distort the downstream market.
