The Federal Government has announced that the Dangote Group will reassign workers recently disengaged from its refinery operations, following a breakthrough in talks with the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).
Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi, confirmed in Abuja on Wednesday that the redeployed employees will retain their full pay and benefits.
“After reviewing the disengagement process, it was agreed that the Dangote Group would immediately begin redeploying the affected staff to other subsidiaries of the conglomerate, without loss of pay,” Dingyadi said.
He assured that no employee would face retaliation for their role in the standoff. PENGASSAN, in turn, has agreed to commence the process of suspending its strike.
The Minister also emphasised that unionisation is a protected right under Nigerian labour law and should be respected by employers across industries.
The conciliation followed a breakdown in Monday’s discussions, after PENGASSAN accused Dangote Refinery of dismissing union members and replacing some Nigerians with expatriates — allegations the company denied.
The impasse escalated when the union halted gas and crude oil supply to the refinery, sparking concerns over a possible disruption in Nigeria’s energy sector.
Federal authorities stepped in, warning that the dispute posed risks to national energy stability and broader economic performance.
