TUC Demands Apology And Reinstatement Of 800 Sacked Workers At Dangote Refinery

The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has demanded that the Dangote Petrochemical Refinery reinstate more than 800 workers dismissed over a unionisation dispute and issue a public apology.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Monday, TUC Secretary-General Nuhu Toro said the mass sackings violated the constitutional rights of the employees and breached previous agreements with labour unions.

“We demand the reversal of the arbitrary dismissal of over 800 workers by Dangote. If that is done, the next thing that we demand is a public apology from the Dangote Refinery Management, with an assurance that such won’t be used against the union in the future,” Toro stated.

The dispute has already sparked a nationwide strike by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), which crippled operations at major oil and gas regulatory bodies on Monday.

PENGASSAN, an affiliate of the TUC, accused the refinery of violating both Nigerian labour laws and International Labour Organisation conventions by terminating employees for joining the union.

In its defence, Dangote denied the claims, insisting there was no mass dismissal and accusing the union of sabotage. But Toro criticised the company for avoiding the “core issue” — workers’ right to freely join a union.

“Unionisation is a right, and workers in Dangote have the right to belong to a union of their choice,” he said, describing the sackings as “oppression” and alleging Nigerian staff were treated less favourably than Indian expatriates.

Toro argued that Dangote, despite enjoying massive government support, was denying Nigerians their fundamental rights while extending preferential treatment to foreign workers. He warned against what he called “modern-day slavery” and stressed that unions would resist any attempt to silence workers.

He recalled that organised labour had previously supported the refinery in its early challenges, urging the management to show good faith by reinstating the dismissed workers and committing not to intimidate union activity going forward.