Is the West Trying to hijack and Control Nigeria’s Dangote Refinery?

Is the West Trying to hijack and Control Nigeria’s Dangote Refinery? Here is the untold story.

Imaginative dangote refinery 

By Small Business 247| October 7, 2025

The Dangote Refinery, Africa’s largest, was supposed to be Nigeria’s ticket to energy independence. Built by Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man, this $20 billion project in Lagos aimed to process 650,000 barrels of oil daily, end Nigeria’s reliance on imported fuel, and create thousands of jobs. But recent events have sparked outrage and suspicion: hundreds of Nigerian workers were sacked, allegedly replaced by foreign workers, mostly from India. Is this just business, or a Western plot to hijack Nigeria’s biggest economic hope?

The Layoff Scandal

In late September 2025, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) reported that over 800 Nigerian workers were fired from the refinery, many right after joining the union. The union called it retaliation and accused Dangote of bringing in over 2,000 Indian workers to take their jobs. They launched a nationwide strike, halting oil and gas operations, which nearly crippled Nigeria’s power supply.

Dangote’s team denied mass firings, claiming only a few workers were let go due to “sabotage” risks. They said the refinery still employs over 3,000 Nigerians and follows global labor rules. By October 1, the government stepped in, securing a deal to redeploy the sacked workers within the Dangote Group without pay cuts. Some whisper Dangote offered five years’ salary to keep them away from the refinery. Crisis over? Not quite.

Foreign Workers: A Growing Concern

This isn’t new. During construction, the refinery hired 11,000 foreign workers—6,400 Indians and 3,250 Chinese—because Nigeria lacked enough skilled locals. Nigerians were furious then, with 40% youth unemployment, and they’re angrier now. 

Why replace locals with foreigners in a project meant to uplift Nigeria? On X, users like @Official_Veeky demand answers: “Why are foreigners running our refinery?”

A Western Conspiracy?

Here’s where it gets murky. The refinery threatens Western oil giants who’ve profited from Nigeria’s dependence on imported fuel. If Dangote succeeds, it could supply West Africa and cut those profits. Some see the layoffs and foreign hires as part of a Western scheme to destabilize the refinery. Sabotage claims, union unrest, and past regulatory battles fuel suspicions of external meddling. Are Indian workers a proxy for Western control, ensuring Nigeria’s prize stays vulnerable?

What’s Next?

Nigeria must fight back. The government should enforce local hiring, invest in training, and check foreign worker permits. Dangote needs to prioritize Nigerians and work with unions, not against them. This refinery is Nigeria’s dream—let it empower locals, not foreign interests.

Read this essential:

Nigeria Sees Dangote Refinery as Systemically Crucial 

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