In September 2025, the US$20 billion Dangote Refinery, on the outskirts of Lagos, dismissed 800 workers the day after they joined PENGASSAN. Management attributed the dismissals to a restructuring prompted by alleged acts of sabotage, while unions called it victimisation.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) sided with the unions. NLC president, Joe Ajaero, accused Dangote of forcing workers into company-controlled unions, violating their freedom of association and undermining collective bargaining. The NLC accused Dangote of breaching Nigerian law and ILO Conventions 87 and 98, both ratified by Nigeria, which guarantee freedom of association and the right to organize.
For years, Nigerian trade unions have documented exploitation across the Dangote Group. Casual and contract workers receive lower wages and fewer protections than permanent staff. Health and safety standards are poor and the group refuses meaningful collective bargaining even where unions are organized.
On 27-28 May, five IndustriALL-affiliated unions met in Lagos to agree a response. They were the National Union of Petroleum & Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), Petroleum & Natural Gas Senior Staff Association (PENGASSAN), Chemical and Non-Metallic Products Senior Staff Association (CANMPSSAN) and the National Union of Textile Garment and Tailoring Workers (NUTGTW).
The meeting was facilitated by IndustriALL. It produced an action plan to...
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