The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has reported that Dangote Refinery recently terminated the employment of 800 Nigerian workers, replacing them with expatriates from India. The union claims that the dismissals occurred during a period of maintenance at the refinery.
According to PENGASSAN, the affected Nigerian employees were laid off as part of the refinery’s operational adjustments.
The union alleges that these positions were subsequently filled by Indian nationals, raising concerns about the employment practices at the refinery.
The refinery, which has a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, initiated repairs on its gasoline unit in late August, with expected downtime spanning two to three months.
During this maintenance period, the facility increased exports of fuel oil, a common practice during such outages.
PENGASSAN has expressed dissatisfaction with the situation, emphasizing the need for fair employment practices and the protection of Nigerian workers’ rights.
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The union has called on the government to intervene and ensure that local employment opportunities are not compromised.
Efforts to obtain a statement from Dangote Refinery regarding the allegations have been unsuccessful.
