Dangote Refinery says 3,000 jobs intact, clarifies workforce cuts

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has addressed reports on the termination of staff contracts, saying the move is part of a broader reorganisation aimed at safeguarding operations after “recent cases of sabotage” in several units of the facility.

In a statement issued Friday, September 26, the refinery’s management said the decision was taken to protect the plant amid incidents that posed “serious risks to human life and safety.”

“We remain vigilant to our internal systems and vulnerabilities to ensure the long-term stability of this strategic national asset,” the statement read. “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 company disclosed that over 3,000 Nigerians continue to work actively at the refinery, with only a very small number of staff affected by the restructuring.

Dangote Petroleum Refinery also reaffirmed its commitment to internationally accepted labour principles, noting that every worker has the right to freely decide whether to join a union. “Our commitment to workers’ rights is unwavering,” it stated.

Earlier this month, Aliko Dangote, chairman of Dangote Group, dismissed claims that his plans to deploy 4,000 in-house compressed natural gas (CNG) trucks would lead to job losses.

“We are not trying to take anybody out of the market,” Dangote said at a press conference. “These trucks will create 24,000 jobs. Every truck needs drivers, managers, logistics handlers, and workshop staff. You are saying there will be a loss of jobs, will our own tankers be driven by robots?”

“By the time you take a workshop, managers, people who look after tyres, people who look after logistics, dispatch, every truck is about 6 people,” Dangote said.