The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has urged the management of Dangote Refinery to immediately reinstate more than 800 Nigerian employees whose appointments were recently terminated. Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, TUC secretary-general Nuhu Toro described the move as a violation of the workers’ constitutional rights, insisting that the mass dismissal cannot stand.

The dispute erupted after the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), an affiliate of TUC, alleged that over 800 of its members had been arbitrarily laid off. PENGASSAN subsequently directed members to embark on a nationwide strike, accusing Dangote of union-busting tactics. “There is no way they can beat your child and the father stays aloof,” Toro said, stressing that both unions had been actively engaging the refinery, including at a Ministry of Labour meeting earlier in September.

While Dangote Refinery admitted to letting some workers go, it downplayed the scale, describing the move as a limited reorganisation. In response, the company accused PENGASSAN of “weaponising hardship” against Nigerians by calling a strike. But TUC has doubled down, demanding not only the reversal of the sackings but also a public apology from management and assurances that such actions will not be repeated.

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