The management of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery has clarified reports of mass sackings, assuring that over 3,000 Nigerians remain employed at its $20 billion facility despite an ongoing workforce restructuring. The company attributed the necessary reorganisation to incidents of sabotage that have impacted safety and operational efficiency at the refinery.
In an official statement released on Friday, the refinery management dismissed claims of widespread layoffs, explaining that only a “small number” of staff had been affected by the restructuring process. “This exercise is not arbitrary,” the statement read. “It has become necessary to safeguard the refinery from repeated acts of sabotage that have raised safety concerns and affected operational efficiency.”
The company underscored the importance of protecting the refinery, which it considers a strategic national asset. The management highlighted the need to address instances of sabotage that posed serious risks to human life and disrupted operations, ultimately threatening the long-term stability of the refinery.
“We remain vigilant to our internal systems and vulnerabilities to ensure the long-term stability of this strategic national asset. It is imperative to protect the refinery for the benefit of Nigerians, our partners across Africa, and the thousands of people whose livelihoods depend on it,” the statement further explained.
The Dangote refinery, with a nameplate capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, revealed that it had discovered intermittent sabotage incidents across various units of the refinery, which prompted the reorganisation. Despite this, the company remains committed to offering sustainable job opportunities to Nigerians, particularly through its graduate trainee programmes and experienced hire recruitment process.
“Over 3,000 Nigerians continue to work actively in our Petroleum Refinery, at present,” the management emphasized. “Only a very small number of staff were affected, as we continue to recruit Nigerian talent through our various graduate trainee programmes and experienced hire recruitment process.”
In conclusion, the management reiterated that the rights of workers under international labour principles, including the freedom to join a union, remain safeguarded during this transition.
