The Director-General of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Segun Ajayi, has strongly condemned the ongoing confrontation between petroleum marketers and labour unions — including senior and junior oil and gas workers’ unions — and the Dangote Refinery, describing it as “unconscionable” and a dangerous signal to investors.
Speaking on the matter during an interview with ARISE NEWS on Tuesday, Ajayi likened the unions’ actions to “vultures gathering to devour what should be a jewel of Nigerian manufacturing.” He stressed that no investor would commit billions of dollars to build a factory only to see it “decimated” by industrial disputes.
The standoff has escalated into threats of a nationwide strike, with Ajayi arguing that such disputes should be addressed through lawful processes rather than by crippling the economy.
The MAN DG urged government intervention to enforce court orders already in place and called for restraint from labour leaders.
While acknowledging Dangote’s refinery as a major “disruption” in the sector, Ajayi further insisted that negotiations, not threats, must guide resolution.
He stated, “I think that governments should step in and we should ensure the rule of law. I’m told that there’s a court injunction and they should obey it.
“You cannot shut down an economy and you cannot disincentivise private sector investment. Because everyone is watching. How will anyone who sees what has been done to Dangote now want to come into this country and invest big? And that is what an economy like Nigeria needs.
“I believe that it is wrong and the labor unions should please keep their sword apart and let us have dialogue to be able to resolve the matter. There is no way you can browbeat organisations to do your will. I mean, it’s a disruption.
Dangote’s entry in this is a disruption. And they should be able to negotiate their ways with Dangote. you can’t force anybody to do this kind of a thing. And you should be condemned.”
Melissa Enoch
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