Dangote refinery engineer salary dispute intensifies as salaries are withheld from staff refusing redeployment

The rift between the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria and Dangote Refinery intensified in Lagos on Sunday after the company suspended the monthly salaries of engineers dismissed in September for rejecting redeployment offers to northern states.

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The affected postings included Zamfara, Borno, Benue, Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, and Ebonyi.

Some engineers, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue, revealed that alternative placements included coal projects, concrete road construction, and rice processing plants. While a few employees accepted the redeployment, the majority declined, relying on PENGASSAN assurances that negotiations would resolve the matter.

A senior official of Dangote Group confirmed that the company would no longer pay engineers who refused the reassignment, noting that the placements were provided in good faith.

“If a newspaper terminates the services of an employee, and it even offers alternative employment, but the employee is unwilling, should the salary continue?” the official asked.

Engineers described the withholding of their salaries as “victimisation” and expressed concern about security risks in certain locations. Some postings lacked specific reporting addresses, and in some cases, no offices could be verified through public records.

One dismissed engineer explained, “Accepting these letters without clear locations is effectively terminating our own employment.”

The letters, issued in October by Dangote Projects Limited, offered “Trainee Engagement” positions for two-year programmes combining classroom and practical training.

Employees were required to report within 14 days, but the absence of verifiable office locations left many unwilling to comply.

PENGASSAN President Festus Osifo confirmed that the union continues to engage Dangote Refinery to negotiate a resolution.

He emphasised that the union remains committed to safeguarding the welfare of its members while seeking an equitable solution.

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The dispute highlights mounting tensions in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, where corporate restructuring efforts clash with employee security concerns and union advocacy.