How a WhatsApp Group Sparked Worker Sackings at Dangote Refinery

The Dangote Refinery, Africa’s largest single-train oil refinery and one of Nigeria’s most ambitious industrial projects, has recently been caught in a storm of controversy that began not on the refinery floor, but inside a WhatsApp group. What started as a digital space for worker mobilisation quickly spiraled into one of the most talked-about labour disputes in recent times.

According to multiple sources, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) created a WhatsApp group to rally employees of the refinery. Through the platform, workers were invited to join the union, membership forms were circulated, and, in some cases, daily operational updates from the refinery were shared. For management, this was no ordinary activity. The sharing of internal information with outsiders was seen as a breach of trust, potentially exposing sensitive details of operations in a facility considered vital to national economic security.

On 25 September 2025, the refinery took decisive action. Several employees received termination letters signed by Femi Adekunle, Chief General Manager of Human Asset Management. The letters informed them that their services were no longer required, effective immediately. Management explained that the dismissals were part of a wider re-organisation intended to safeguard the facility from acts of sabotage and safety risks. However, inside the refinery, it was clear that the WhatsApp group had been at the centre of the decision.

The union was quick to push back. PENGASSAN accused the refinery of anti-labour practices, intimidation of workers, and spreading misinformation to weaken unionisation efforts. In retaliation, the union mobilised members across the country, ordering disruptions to operations and threatening to cut off gas supplies, a move that could have paralysed production and escalated tensions further.

At this point, the matter drew the attention of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, which stepped in to prevent an escalation. The court issued an interim order restraining PENGASSAN from continuing its industrial action, blocking access to the refinery, or interfering with gas supplies. This intervention cooled tempers temporarily but did not resolve the underlying issues.

The federal government eventually mediated between the two parties, leading to a compromise. The dismissed workers would not be thrown into unemployment but instead absorbed into other entities within the Dangote Group without losing pay or benefits. Both sides also agreed there would be no victimisation of workers for their involvement in the dispute, and PENGASSAN suspended its nationwide strike.

This episode underscores the delicate balance between labour rights and corporate security in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector. Workers have the constitutional right to unionise, yet companies fear that mishandling sensitive data could threaten multi-billion-dollar infrastructure. The Dangote Refinery, a $20 billion project with a capacity to refine 650,000 barrels of crude per day, is seen as critical to Nigeria’s ambition to end fuel imports. Any disruption is treated not merely as a company matter, but as a national economic risk.