Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals has announced a sweeping reorganisation of its operations and workforce, saying the move is aimed at addressing repeated acts of sabotage that have threatened the safety of its 650,000 barrels-per-day plant. The company confirmed the issuance of letters to affected employees on September 24, 2025, but insisted it was not a mass layoff, contrary to widespread speculation.
According to a disengagement letter signed by Femi Adekunle, Chief General Manager of Human Asset Management, the refinery cited “many recent cases of reported sabotage” across different units as the reason for the shake-up. Employees who received the letter were instructed to hand over company property to their line managers and await clearance before receiving their entitlements, which the Finance Department would process under the terms of their employment contracts.
A senior official of the refinery told The PUNCH that the exercise was wrongly interpreted as a mass sacking. “Yes, the letter is correct. But the interpretation is wrong. It affects some people because of certain things discovered in the refinery. It has nothing to do with unionism,” the official said, adding that staff who were not involved in sabotage had nothing to fear. The official stressed that the action was a “clean-up” to protect the company’s assets and plug leakages, with the possibility of reabsorbing affected workers once issues are resolved.
He further explained that the decision was executed abruptly to prevent those suspected of sabotage from concealing their actions. “You cannot do things like this and give two weeks’ notice; otherwise, those in the act would cover up and complicate issues,” he said. The official added that operations at the refinery were ongoing, with both Nigerian and expatriate staff still working at the plant despite the controversy.
Commissioned in 2024 amid hopes of ending Nigeria’s reliance on imported petroleum products, the $20 billion Dangote Refinery has recently faced operational turbulence and industrial disputes. The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) had previously accused the company of high-handedness and unfair labour practices, while petroleum marketers have also clashed with the refinery over pricing and distribution policies. The latest reorganisation underscores the company’s efforts to protect its multi-billion-dollar investment while balancing worker relations and safety concerns.
source: punch