NLC Places Unions On Red Alert Over PENGASSAN/Dangote Rift
NLC on Red Alert as Labour Rift Deepens Between PENGASSAN and Dangote Refinery
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has placed all its affiliate unions and members on high alert following a growing conflict between the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the Dangote Refinery.
The dispute stems from allegations that the refinery’s management unlawfully terminated the employment of over 800 Nigerian workers for joining the union. In response, PENGASSAN members on Monday barricaded the headquarters of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) in Abuja, following a directive from their national executive committee to commence a nationwide industrial action.
Reacting to the development, NLC President, Joe Ajaero, condemned the actions of the Dangote Group, accusing the company of gross violations of Nigeria’s labour laws, the Constitution, and international conventions of the International Labour Organization (ILO) by punishing workers for exercising their right to unionise.
Ajaero described the situation as “a symptom of a deeper crisis — a capitalist culture of union suppression, worker exploitation, and blatant impunity that defines the Group’s labour practices.”
“The Dangote Group has for too long operated like a state within a state — disregarding Section 40 of our Constitution, violating ILO Conventions 87 and 98, and showing open contempt for our labour laws,” Ajaero said.
“Their workplaces resemble plantations of exploitation, where workers’ dignity is routinely crushed in the pursuit of profit.”
Declaring that the era of “pleading and fruitless dialogue” is over, the NLC president announced a series of decisive steps the congress will take:
- Immediate Mobilisation: All affiliate unions and workers are placed on full alert and must begin preparations for a strong and comprehensive unionisation campaign across all Dangote Group facilities within their jurisdiction.
- Nationwide Action: Unions are to mobilise members and resources for a full-scale engagement with the company.
- Core Demands: The NLC is demanding that the Dangote Group:
- Fully respect workers’ rights to join unions of their choice.
- End all acts of intimidation, victimisation, and union-busting.
- Comply with Nigeria’s labour laws and submit to the authority of relevant institutions.
Each union is also directed to establish an Action Mobilisation Committee and coordinate closely with the NLC National Secretariat within the next 72 hours to plan strategy, logistics, and communication.
“The impunity of the Dangote Group must be met with the organised resistance of Nigerian workers,” Ajaero added.
“No amount of media propaganda or hired voices will deter us from fighting for our rights, especially in a situation where the state appears to have abdicated its responsibility to enforce the law.
The blood and sweat of Nigerian workers built this conglomerate — we will not allow it to become a symbol of their oppression.”