NLC orders nationwide strike, accuses Dangote Refinery of labour rights violations

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has directed all its affiliate unions to prepare for a nationwide strike following allegations that Dangote Refinery is operating above Nigeria’s labour laws and suppressing workers’ rights. This escalation comes amid claims of mass dismissals at the refinery.

NLC President Joe Ajaero issued a memo on Monday accusing the Dangote Group of running a “state within a state” by ignoring constitutional labour protections and violating International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions. According to the union, more than 800 workers were dismissed for union activities, prompting the call for urgent collective action.

The dispute centers on claims that the refinery’s workplace suppresses employee rights to organize, describing the environment as “plantations of exploitation” focused on maximizing profits at the expense of labour dignity.

Ajaero called on all affiliate unions to mobilize fully and form Action Mobilisation Committees within 72 hours to coordinate an organized response. The union also urged workers to resist intimidation and union-busting efforts, emphasizing that “the blood and sweat of Nigerian workers built the conglomerate; the union will not let it become a monument to their oppression”.

The Federal Government has proposed conciliatory talks to avert escalation, while Dangote Refinery acknowledged some dismissals but described them as part of an internal reorganization affecting only a small number of employees.

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has directed its members to strike and cut crude oil and gas supplies to the refinery, actions which Dangote says threaten the country’s energy supply chain. Ajaero condemned Dangote’s action, saying, that the impunity of the Dangote Group must be met with the resistance of organised labour and that no amount of media spin or government inaction will stop the union from fighting for workers’ rights.

The National Industrial Court, meanwhile, has issued an interim order halting PENGASSAN’s proposed strike.