The Federal Government has announced that all staff previously disengaged from operations at the Dangote Refinery will be redeployed to other companies within the Dangote Group, following a resolution of the dispute between the company and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi, confirmed the development in a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday, noting that the affected workers will retain their full salaries and benefits.
“After examining the procedure used in the disengagement of workers, the meeting agreed that the management of Dangote Group shall immediately begin the process of redeploying the disengaged staff to other companies within the group, with no loss of pay,” Dingyadi stated.
He assured that no worker would face victimisation for their involvement in the dispute, and affirmed the government’s commitment to upholding labour rights.
“Unionisation is a right of workers in accordance with the laws of Nigeria, and this right should be respected,” the minister added.
Strike Action Eased, Gas and Crude Supply May Resume
The resolution comes after several days of industrial tension triggered by what PENGASSAN described as “mass dismissals and arbitrary transfers” of union members by the refinery’s management.
The union had also raised alarms over the alleged replacement of Nigerian staff with foreign workers, calling the move a breach of Nigerian labour laws and an attack on local employment.
Tensions escalated when PENGASSAN launched a strike, disrupting gas and crude oil supply to the refinery, an action that threatened to impact national energy supply and economic stability.
Talks Break Deadlock, Strike Suspension Begins
Conciliation efforts led by the Ministry of Labour resulted in both parties agreeing to a compromise. According to Dingyadi, PENGASSAN has now agreed to begin the process of calling off its industrial action, with both sides accepting the resolution in good faith.
“Both parties agreed to this understanding in good faith,” the minister emphasized.
Company Denies Wrongdoing, Cites Operational Needs
While the union accused the company of anti-labour practices, the Dangote Refinery management insisted that the restructuring of staff was purely driven by operational requirements and not linked to union activities.
The company had maintained that there was no victimisation or replacement of workers based on union affiliation, denying claims of foreign staff being brought in to displace local workers.
The Federal Government stepped into the crisis earlier this week after initial negotiations collapsed on Monday. The Ministry of Labour cited the potential threat to energy security and economic stability as the reason for its intervention.
With the agreement now in place, normal operations at the Dangote Refinery are expected to resume, while affected workers will be reassigned within the wider Dangote Group.
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