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25 September, 2026Union representatives from five African countries have formed a network to seek recognition, stronger safety commitments and direct dialogue with Dangote Industries management.
Unions representing thousands of Dangote Industries workers met in Mtwara, Tanzania, 23 and 24 September 2026. The meeting marked an important moment for the Dangote trade union network as the delegates agreed to press the company to open social dialogue on freedom of association, trade union rights, occupational health and safety, job security, gender equality and women’s employment. This applies across its cement, fertilizer, oil and gas and petrochemicals operations.
The 27 delegates, representing IndustriALL Global Union affiliates in Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia, formed the Dangote trade union network. The new network will coordinate union engagement with the pan-African conglomerate. This conglomerate was founded by Aliko Dangote.
During the meeting, delegates toured Dangote’s Mtwara cement plant, including the limestone extraction pit, power station and manufacturing line. The visit gave representatives from other countries a first-hand view of the operations. In addition, it helped them assess workplace standards that could be improved and promoted across the group.
In its closing statement, the network welcomed the cooperation of the Mtwara plant management. It said it would seek non-confrontational engagement with Dangote’s central management to protect workers’ rights across the company. Moreover, it also called for Aliko Dangote to become personally involved in the dialogue.
The network wants Dangote Industries to commit to genuine recognition of all unions across the company. It identified Mtwara as the starting point and called on management to deepen its industrial relations with the Tanzania Union of Industrial and Commercial Workers (TUICO). Furthermore, the network also prioritised occupational health, safety and environmental concerns. It requested a meeting with central management within six months.
African unions formed the network as Dangote Industries continues to expand while facing scrutiny over its labour practices. The group has grown from a Nigerian cement and sugar business into one of Africa’s most influential industrial conglomerates.
A bitter 2025 dispute at its flagship Lagos oil refinery drew particular attention from unions. Labour relations across the group have been strained. In 2025 disputes hit the refinery after management dismissed 880 workers for joining the union. Dangote has since reinstated 854, while unions negotiate to reinstate the remaining 26.
Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association (PENGASSAN) and National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG), said Dangote must stop anti-union discrimination. Dangote management cited sabotage and operational disruption. Meanwhile, the Nigerian government mediated a settlement in which Dangote reinstated most workers. The cement business has seen fewer public disputes, though wages, contractor labour and safety remain recurring concerns.
A network built for the long term
The Mtwara meeting produced more than a statement. Delegates agreed on a year-long work plan designed to maintain pressure, strengthen coordination and turn the new network into an active organizing structure.
“It is important for unions to build collective power in multinational corporations in Africa as this is key to collective bargaining,” said Silvester Mrope, TUICO general secretary.
Tom Grinter, IndustriALL materials director said:
“We are calling for dialogue with Dangote Industries to improve working conditions across its pan-African operations as identified by the trade union network.”
Dangote Group, headquartered in Lagos and built around the fortune of Aliko Dangote, amongst Africa’s richest, is one of the continent’s largest industrial conglomerates. Its core businesses are cement, oil refining and fertilizer. Additionally, it is active in sugar, salt, food processing, logistics and ports.
Dangote Cement is Africa’s largest cement producer, with plants in more than 10 countries including Nigeria, Ethiopia, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, Cameroon, Ghana and Sierra Leone. The group reported cement revenue of about ₦4.3 trillion (US$3.2 billion) in 2025. This is up to about 20 per cent year-on-year.
The group’s most significant recent project is the US$20 billion Dangote Petroleum Refinery near Lagos. The refinery is one of the world’s largest single-train refineries with capacity for 650,000 barrels a day. It is reshaping Nigeria’s fuel market and now exports to Europe and beyond. A large fertilizer expansion is next, including a planned mega-project in Ethiopia.