..Accuses unions of prioritising dues over workers’ welfare
…Warns against sabotage of national energy security

The Civil Society Budget Implementation Assessment, Monitoring and Evaluation Committee (CBIAMEC) has accused major labour unions of hypocrisy and selfish motives in their confrontation with the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, warning that union actions pose a grave threat to Nigeria’s energy security and economic future.

In a statement issued on October 1st, 2025, and signed by its Chairman, Amb. Agbonkpolor Splendour, CBIAMEC said while it recognises the constitutional rights of workers to organise, the current moves by PENGASSAN and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) amount to a “shameless weaponisation of union privileges for selfish financial gain.”

The group criticised PENGASSAN’s swift demand for check-off dues within 24 hours of alleged unionisation at the refinery, describing it as proof that the unions’ focus lies on revenue rather than workers’ welfare.

“Even more troubling is the hypocrisy of these same unions,” the statement read. “For decades, billions of dollars were wasted on turnaround maintenance of government-owned refineries that never worked. PENGASSAN and TUC never mobilised nationwide protests against that monumental corruption. Their silence speaks volumes of complicity.”

CBIAMEC said attempts to “cripple the Dangote Refinery Africa’s most significant private sector investment through blackmail, misinformation and threats of sabotage” must be resisted, as the refinery symbolises hope, jobs and economic sovereignty for Nigeria’s over 230 million citizens.

The committee further challenged PENGASSAN and TUC to publish their audited financial records for the past ten years, arguing that unions cannot demand accountability from others while hiding their own finances.

“Dialogue, transparency and constructive engagement, not sabotage disguised as activism, should guide union relations with the refinery,” CBIAMEC concluded.