The management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals has announced a significant reorganization of its operations and workforce, citing repeated sabotage that has threatened the operational safety of its 650,000 barrels per day plant.
In a letter dated September 24, 2025, signed by Chief General Manager of Human Asset Management, Femi Adekunle, the refinery indicated that the shake-up was necessary due to numerous recent cases of reported sabotage across different units, leading to major safety concerns.
The letter instructed affected staff to hand over all company property to their line managers and await clearance before receiving their entitlements, which the Finance Department would calculate in accordance with the conditions of service.
However, speculation regarding mass sackings has emerged, prompting the company’s management to clarify the situation.
A senior refinery official, who confirmed the authenticity of the letter in a conversation with Punch, insisted that the exercise was misinterpreted. “Yes, the letter is correct. But the interpretation is wrong. The interpretation is that it affects some people because of certain things discovered in the refinery. It has nothing to do with unionism or anything like that,” the official stated.
According to him, the reorganization aims to plug leakages and protect the company’s assets, rather than to sack workers. “It doesn’t mean they have been sacked. That is incorrect. What was done was to put a check in place. It is more like a clean-up in the system to check where those sabotage and leakages are coming from and then address them. As soon as the issues are addressed, they will be reabsorbed. That is why it is not a sack and that word wasn’t used,” he explained.
The official further clarified that the exercise was conducted suddenly to prevent those involved in sabotage from concealing their actions. “Some acts of sabotage have been noticed repeatedly, and the company is only trying to safeguard its assets. Also, you cannot do things like this and give two weeks’ notice; otherwise, those in the act would cover up and complicate issues,” he added.
He emphasized that the refinery remains fully operational, with both Nigerian and expatriate workers actively engaged. “As we speak, people are still working at the refinery. The people affected know themselves, and those who did not get the letter are not affected. Anyone who doesn’t have a hand in sabotage has nothing to worry about,” he concluded.
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