The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has stopped paying the monthly salaries of engineers laid off in September amid its dispute with the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).
PENGASSAN, however, says it is engaging the Dangote Group to resolve the matter amicably and prevent another nationwide industrial action.
Findings by The PUNCH showed that the affected workers’ salaries were suspended after many of them rejected redeployment to locations including Zamfara, Borno, Benue, Sokoto, Ebonyi, and Kebbi states. Some were posted to coal mines, concrete road construction sites, and rice mills owned by the conglomerate.
While a few accepted the redeployment, most refused, banking on assurances from PENGASSAN that the matter would be resolved through dialogue. As a warning, the refinery reportedly slashed their October salaries before withholding November pay entirely.
A senior Dangote Group official confirmed the company’s stance, saying it would not continue paying workers who refused new postings. He questioned the expectation that salaries should continue when alternative employment was offered but declined.
“Those whose services were terminated were given an opportunity to work in our other projects,” the official said. “If an employee refuses alternative placement, why should the company keep paying salaries?”
In September, PENGASSAN shut down oil and gas facilities nationwide, alleging that about 800 refinery workers were fired for joining the union a claim the refinery denied, describing the dismissals as a restructuring exercise targeting saboteurs. The shutdown led to losses in oil and gas output and contributed to power shortages until the Federal Government intervened.
By October, the sacked engineers were invited to collect new appointment letters at the Dangote Group’s Ikeja office. One letter, titled “Offer of Trainee Engagement”, assigned an engineer to a coal project in Benue State. The role required reporting within 14 days and included a two-year training programme.
Many engineers rejected the offer, citing security concerns and vague reporting instructions. According to them, the letters listed states without specifying office addresses, and Google Maps searches showed no existing facilities there.
“Accepting those letters is like terminating our employment ourselves because there’s nowhere to report,” they said, adding that PENGASSAN advised them not to accept the postings while negotiations continued.
PENGASSAN President Festus Osifo confirmed ongoing discussions with the refinery.
“Since our last industrial action, we have had several conversations, but many issues remain unresolved,” Osifo said. “We prefer a negotiated settlement so we don’t return to industrial action, but we will do what is necessary if needed.”
A senior management official, however, insisted that while PENGASSAN had the right to make demands, the company equally had the right to make business decisions.
Meanwhile, the affected engineers accuse Dangote of breaching an earlier agreement to continue paying salaries until the dispute was settled.
“We saw a salary cut in October and were not paid for November. This is clear victimisation,” they said. “The agreement was that salaries would continue until resolution.”
As the impasse drags on, the engineers say they are now torn between accepting redeployments they consider unsafe and losing their livelihoods entirely. The resolution of the crisis now rests on the ongoing negotiations between PENGASSAN and the Dangote Group.
