The management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals has announced a major reorganisation of its workforce following what it described as repeated acts of sabotage threatening the operational safety of its 650,000 barrels-per-day facility.

In a letter dated September 24, 2025, and signed by the Chief General Manager, Human Asset Management, Femi Adekunle, the company said it was “constrained to carry out a total reorganisation of the plant” after “many recent cases of reported sabotage in different units of the refinery leading to major safety concerns.”

The directive instructed affected staff to surrender all company property to their line managers and obtain clearance before receiving their entitlements, which the Finance Department was mandated to compute in line with their conditions of service.

However, a senior official of the refinery dismissed reports of mass layoffs, insisting the exercise was not a blanket sack but a targeted restructuring aimed at safeguarding company assets.

“Yes, the letter is authentic. But its interpretation has been misrepresented,” the official told journalists on Friday. “It affects some people because of certain issues discovered in the refinery. It has nothing to do with unionism or victimisation. This is not about sacking workers; it is a clean-up to plug leakages and address sabotage. Those cleared of wrongdoing will be reabsorbed.”

He explained that the decision was executed abruptly to prevent those implicated in the sabotage from concealing evidence.

“Acts of sabotage have been observed repeatedly. You cannot give advance notice in such cases, otherwise those involved will cover their tracks and complicate matters,” the official added.

He further stressed that operations at the refinery remain unaffected, with both Nigerian and expatriate staff still actively on duty.

“As we speak, work is ongoing. Those who did not receive letters are not affected. Anyone not involved in sabotage has nothing to fear,” he said.

When contacted, Dangote spokesperson Anthony Chiejina did not respond to messages sent by our correspondent.

A copy of the disengagement letter, addressed to all staff of Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals FZE and Dangote Industries Free Zone Development Company, confirmed the restructuring exercise. It stated in part:

“In view of the many recent cases of reported sabotage in different units of the Petroleum Refinery leading to major safety concerns, the Management is constrained to carry out a total re-organisation of the plant. As a consequence of this development, we wish to inform you that your services are no longer required, with effect from the eve of Thursday, the 25th September, 2025.”

The refinery, which began production in 2024 amid high hopes of ending Nigeria’s dependence on imported petroleum products, has recently faced turbulence ranging from operational hitches to labour disputes.

Earlier this year, the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) accused the refinery of “high-handedness” and warned against unfair labour practices, while marketers under the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) clashed with the company over pricing and distribution terms, alleging that Dangote imposed rigid conditions that could distort the downstream market.