Dangote offered to pay sacked workers five years salaries without work

The Dangote refinery has offered to pay the sacked workers’ salaries for five years without any work requirements due to concerns about potential sabotage they could cause, an offer said to have been made during negotiation.

Penpushing reports that sources disclosed that details of the negotiation and agreements emerged which was signed by Dangote refinery and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) following the crisis that erupted due to the sacking of workers.

The sources added that the offer would have allowed the workers to stay home or pursue other opportunities while receiving their monthly salaries for five years, with Dangote refinery explaining that despite government representatives expressing concerns about the financial burden of such an arrangement, it was a lesser burden than allowing potentially untrustworthy workers into the facility.

Penpushing further reports tat the sources said the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), however, rejected this option, opting instead for the workers to be redeployed to other parts of the Dangote Group’s business.

“Dangote offered to pay the sacked workers for five years to continue to stay in their homes, or do other things, but they will be paid every month for five years. But they will not be allowed to go near the refinery, because they are not sure of not sabotaging. So, Dangote offered to pay them without work’.

“Even though the government representatives at the negotiation said that it may be too much of a burden on Dangote. Dangote, however, said that’s a lesser burden for him than for him to allow people who he cannot trust to be in his facility because he doesn’t want to compromise on sabotage. But PENGASSAN rejected it,” one of the sources said.

Penpushing also reports that the Secretary General of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) Lumumba Okugbawa when contacted to ascertain the reasons for rejecting the salary payment option, said they agreed on a resolution that prioritises the workers’ welfare.

The Secretary General explained that negotiation was a process of give-and-take, where various options were considered and discussed until a mutually acceptable agreement was reached, emphasizing that the final agreement is what matters, not the individual options that were considered during the negotiation.

“So, the option that he wants to pay salary for five years without any work. I don’t think the option is important at the final stage. The most important thing is that what did you agree? That’s what you will do and not, what they disagree on,” he said.

Penpushing reports that the sources, however, suggested that the redeployment option may not be ideal for the workers, as they may be sent to far-flung locations, which could lead to some workers resigning rather than accepting the redeployment.

The Secretary General of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) in reaction said such concerns are speculative, adding that workers are expected to report to their assigned locations and continue working.

Penpushing further reports that he likened the union’s role to settling a dispute between a husband and wife, where the goal is to facilitate a resolution and allow the parties to move forward in harmony.

“Those are speculations, even if the union was not there and they transfer you, won’t you go to where you are transferred to and continue your job. I think Nigerians should look at the positive outcome of the negotiation, not the negative aspect.

“What union do after mediating is go back to their house and workers and the management will continue working together. It’s like you try to settle a case between the husband and the wife. After settling the case between them you go back to your house and the husband and wife will live together.

“So there is no need to create enmity between them at all. We hope to have good relationship and everything with Dangote refinery in the future. All we are interested in is our workers’ welfare. Dangote Refinery is losing no kobo and people should not think that we are interested in his business model. The most important thing is that these people have their jobs back,” he said.

Penpushing also reports that it would be recalled that Dangote Petroleum Refinery recently terminated the appointments of some of its workers, citing repeated acts of sabotage that have raised significant safety concerns and affected operational efficiency.

The Chief General Manager, Human Asset Management at Dangote Group, Femi Adekunle, in a letter sent to its staff members informed affected staff members that their services were no longer required, effective September 25, 2025

Penpushing reports that the company emphasised that the decision is not arbitrary but a necessary measure to protect the facility and ensure its long-term stability.

“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’, the letter stated

Penpushing further reports that it added that the decision was taken in the best interest of the refinery as a result of intermittent cases of sabotage in the various units of the refinery with dire consequences on human life and related safety concerns.

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) following the sack, asked its members to disrupt activities at the refinery by blocking gas supply to it, and stated that the decision was in response to the decision by the refinery’s management to sack some workers who are members of the union.

Penpushing also reports that Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) equally accused Dangote refinery of spreading misinformation to justify its actions.

The union in same vein, directed its members nationwide to withdraw their services in protest against the alleged sack of Nigerian workers at the refinery from midnight on September 28, 2025.

Penpushing reports that the association accused the management of the refinery of anti-labour practices and discrimination against local employees, prompting the federal government’s intervention.

The Dangote refinery in swift response described the order as illegal and cautioned Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) to obey Nigerian laws in its operations.

Penpushing further reports that the company pointed out that Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has no legal right to disrupt or interfere with the refinery’s contracts with third-party vendors for gas and crude oil supply.

The Dangote refinery called on the Nigerian government and its security agencies to intervene and call Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) to order, urging that the union’s actions are not only lawless but also have the potential to inflict significant harm on the Nigerian economy and citizens.

Penpushing also reports that the House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) last Saturday called on Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) to suspend its directive to cut off gas and crude oil supply to the Dangote refinery.

The Nigerian government on Sunday, appealed to Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) to suspend its planned nationwide strike over its dispute with the Dangote Refinery.

Penpushing reports that the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Dingyadi, in a statement said the ministry had already initiated moves to reconcile the parties to prevent the crisis from escalating.

The National Industrial Court, Abuja, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Monday issued an interim order stopping Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) from continuing with its nationwide industrial action against the Dangote refinery.

Penpushing further reports that the court in same vein restrained Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) from cutting crude and gas supply to Dangote Refinery.

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) on Wednesday, suspended its nationwide strike against the Dangote Refinery after reaching an agreement with the management.

Penpushing also reports that the agreement was reached following a reconciliation meeting facilitated by the Nigerian government between the parties, while it would be recalled that the meeting initially ended in a deadlock on Monday night.

The meeting was scheduled to resume at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday at the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Abuja, and later moved to the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), however, it was learnt that the parties reached an agreement in the early hours of Wednesday after negotiations.

Penpushing reports that after a prolonged discussion, the parties resolved that unionisation is a right of workers in accordance with the laws of Nigeria and that this right should be respected, while the meeting agreed that the management of Dangote Group shall immediately start the process of taking the disengaged staff to other companies within the Dangote Group, with no loss of pay.

The meeting stated that no workers will be victimised arising from their role in the impasse between Dangote and Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).

Penpushing further reports that President of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), Festus Osifo, who announced the suspension of the strike at a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, warned that the union will resume the action without notice if the agreement is breached.

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