By Naija News
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has fired a fresh salvo at Africa’s richest man’s conglomerate, ordering its affiliate unions across the country to begin full-scale mobilisation for a nationwide strike against the Dangote Group.
In an internal memo dated September 29, 2025, and signed by NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, the labour movement accused Dangote Industries of embarking on a “deliberate anti-worker crusade” and treating Nigeria’s labour laws with outright contempt.
“The time for pleading and fruitless dialogue is over,” Ajaero thundered. “The moment for decisive, collective action has arrived.”
Ajaero alleged that the ongoing disputes with the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) were merely symptoms of a larger crisis: a systemic policy of union-busting, exploitation, and disregard for the rule of law within the Dangote empire.
“For too long, the Dangote Group has operated like a state within a state, flouting Section 40 of the Nigerian Constitution, violating ILO Conventions 87 and 98, and running its facilities like plantations where workers’ dignity is deliberately crushed in the ruthless pursuit of profit for a privileged few,” the memo read.
The Congress outlined uncompromising demands to the Dangote Group, including:
Unconditional respect for workers’ right to freely join unions of their choice.
An immediate end to intimidation, victimisation, and union-busting tactics.
Full compliance with Nigeria’s labour laws and international labour standards.
To enforce the directive, affiliate unions have been instructed to establish Action Mobilisation Committees within 72 hours and coordinate strategy, logistics, and communication with the NLC National Secretariat.
“This is a strategic priority. Unity of purpose and action is non-negotiable,” the memo stressed.
‘A Conglomerate Above The Law’
The NLC further accused regulatory authorities of failing to hold the Dangote Group accountable, describing the situation as “regulatory capture” where the state has allegedly abdicated its duty to protect workers.
“The impunity of the Dangote Group must be met with the collective resistance of organised labour. No amount of propaganda or paid agents will stop us from defending workers’ rights,” Ajaero declared.
In a rallying cry to its members, the NLC vowed that the sweat and blood of Nigerian workers would not be allowed to become “a monument of oppression.”
“The blood and sweat of Nigerian workers built the Dangote empire; we will not allow it to enslave them. Together we stand! Together, we will overcome!” the memo concluded.
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