The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has accused Dangote Refinery of terminating the employment of all Nigerian workers less than 24 hours after they joined the union.

Confirming the development, PENGASSAN president Festus Osifo told Daily Post on Friday: “Yes, it is true. We saw the letter late last night (Wednesday). I can assure you that they will recall all of them.”

Political commentator Imran Wakili had earlier raised the alarm on X, writing: “Dangote Refinery has officially laid off all of its Nigerian workers under the guise of ‘reorganization’, less than 24 hours after 90% of them joined PENGASSAN.”

According to a memo dated September 25, 2025, and signed by the Chief General Manager of Human Asset Management, Femi Adekunle, the refinery said the dismissals were part of a “total re-organisation” following reported sabotage in several refinery units.

The directive instructed affected staff to surrender all company property to their line managers and obtain exit clearance, while the finance department was ordered to process their benefits and entitlements. The refinery’s management also thanked the dismissed staff for their contributions.

The move has further deepened tensions between Dangote Refinery and oil unions over unionisation rights. The Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) had earlier declared a strike in solidarity with PENGASSAN, but suspended it after the federal government intervened.

Although Dangote Refinery previously obtained a temporary injunction barring strikes by unions, the order has since expired, raising fears of renewed industrial unrest in the oil and gas sector.