22 Sabotage Attempts On Dangote Refinery Lead To Mass Sacking, Company Says
22 Sabotage Attempts on Dangote Refinery Lead to Mass Sacking, Company Says
By Hednews International Desk | Date: October 18, 2025 | Location: Lagos, Nigeria
The privately-owned Dangote Petroleum Refinery has revealed that it documented 22 separate sabotage attempts on its operations since commencement of production, and said these incidents were a key driver behind a large-scale staff reorganisation that led to the dismissal of numerous workers.
What the Company Says
According to Devakumar Edwin, Vice President of Oil & Gas at the parent company Dangote Industries Limited, the sabotage incidents included attempts to start fires, tamper with control-systems, open valves maliciously and otherwise undermine equipment integrity. “We have 22 incidents of sabotage — attempts to ignite fires, break down instruments,” he said.
Edwin added the refinery’s “ultra-modern” safety and automated systems prevented major damage, but the risk to the $20 billion investment was deemed significant enough to justify the staff reorganisation.
The Mass Sacking & Labour Response
The reorganisation reportedly affected approximately 800 workers, according to union figures, though the company described the number as a “small number of workers” impacted by the exercise.
In response, the national oil workers’ union, Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), launched industrial action. They claimed the dismissals were tied to unionisation rather than sabotage.
In fact, the union ordered a halt of crude and gas supply to the refinery as part of its escalation.
Why It Matters
Operational Risk: The refinery is billed as Africa’s largest privately-owned, with a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day. Sabotage attempts pose serious risk not just to production but to Nigeria’s broader energy-security goals.
Labour & Investor Confidence: Mass dismissals and a large labour dispute have the potential to shake investor confidence and raise questions about labour practices and governance in Nigeria’s oil sector.
Industry Implications: Nigeria has long struggled with refinery operations, under-capacity, and dependence on imported refined products. Any disruption at this facility has ripple effects on supply, prices and downstream stability.
Government & Industry Reaction
The federal government has stepped in to mediate the dispute between Dangote and PENGASSAN. Officials have urged a peaceful resolution to avoid worsening supply disruptions.
Industry analysts note that sabotage is more commonly associated with older state-run refineries in Nigeria; the fact that a new privately-owned facility is reporting 22 attacks signals a possible change in risk profile.
Next Steps & Unanswered Questions
The exact nature of each sabotage attempt: when, how, on which unit, and whether they were internal or external actors.
Whether the dismissals will be challenged legally by the union and if compensation or reinstatement will follow.
The impact on refinery throughput, fuel supply, and whether Nigeria’s policy of fuel import reduction via local refining will be affected.
Additional protective and security-measures the refinery will deploy to prevent future sabotage.
How the dispute might influence policy around labour rights, unionisation and foreign employment at major infrastructure projects.
Conclusion
The revelation by Dangote Industries that 22 sabotage attempts have forced a mass staff reorganisation marks a dramatic development in Nigeria’s oil industry. While the company emphasises safety and investment protection as the motivation, the sacking of hundreds of workers and the resulting industrial action expose deeper tensions between labour, management and national infrastructure ambition. How these tensions are resolved will shape Nigeria’s refining future, investor climate, and the security of one of its most strategic assets.
Tags: Dangote Refinery · Nigeria · Sabotage · Labour Dispute · PENGASSAN · Oil & Gas · Investment Risk
Sources: TheCable NG, Punch Nigeria, Reuters, Guardian Nigeria
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