Fresh tension is building around the Dangote Petroleum Refinery as the company has reportedly stopped paying salaries to engineers disengaged in September after a heated dispute with the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).
The affected workers had earlier rejected redeployment offers to other Dangote-owned projects across the country, raising concerns over postings to locations they described as unsafe. According to information made available to Zoyols Blog, the salary freeze followed their refusal to accept those alternative positions.
The clash between both sides first erupted in September when PENGASSAN shut down key oil and gas facilities nationwide, accusing the refinery of dismissing hundreds of workers who attempted to join the union. The company maintained that only a small number were relieved of their duties during what it called a restructuring exercise, insisting the action targeted individuals accused of undermining operations.
Government intervention later led to a directive that the affected engineers be reassigned to other Dangote projects. These placements included a coal mine in Benue, road construction sites in Borno and Ebonyi, and rice mills in several northern states. Many workers rejected the offers, saying the letters provided no clear reporting addresses and that some of the locations were dealing with security challenges.
One of the engineers, who spoke with Zoyols Blog on condition of anonymity, said the redeployment letters came with a 14-day deadline that was impossible to meet, especially when there were no offices or supervisors listed in the posting. They argued that accepting the offer as written would equate to resigning from the company.
As the standoff continued, the Dangote Group confirmed it would no longer pay employees who declined the new roles. A senior company official, who preferred not to be named, questioned why the firm should continue paying salaries to individuals who had refused available work, noting that others who accepted redeployment had already resumed duty.
Some of the affected engineers told Zoyols Blog that their October salaries were partially slashed, and their November pay was completely withheld, which they believe contradicts earlier assurances that payments would continue until the dispute was settled.
The industrial action in September had triggered major disruptions in oil and gas operations, including power generation setbacks, before government officials stepped in.
PENGASSAN’s president, Festus Osifo, explained that the union is still in talks with the company, expressing hope that both sides can settle the matter without another nationwide shutdown. He emphasized that while peaceful dialogue remains the union’s preference, it will not hesitate to take action if negotiations collapse.
A senior Dangote official, however, maintained that while the union is free to make demands, the company also has the right to protect its operational interests, stressing that both parties must find common ground as discussions continue.
