By
Otunba (Dr) Abdulfalil Abayomi Odunowo
Recently, Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man, revealed that his $20 billion refinery faced twenty-two deliberate sabotage attempts not from rival competitors or foreign adversaries, but from Nigerian workers within the system. This shocking revelation serves as a grim reminder of the pervasive culture of sabotage that has infiltrated our workplaces, eroding accountability and undermining national progress. These were not mere errors but calculated attempts aimed at triggering fires, manipulating machinery, and derailing refinery operations. The rational question is: What implications does this culture have for our national development?
The core of the issue lies in the recognition that the sabotage witnessed in Dangote’s refinery could be a mere reflection of a larger, systemic problem affecting Nigeria’s economy. If accountability is undermined in a private enterprise, what becomes of the sprawling government-owned refineries, factories, and institutions? The notion that failure is engineered, rather than incidental, has gained traction, and we must interrogate how this impacts our progression as a nation.
Nigerians are often left wondering: why do our government-owned refineries in Port Harcourt, Kaduna, and Warri continue to consume billions in maintenance despite producing nothing? While theories of incompetence and corruption abound, we must now also consider the role of sabotage in this equation. There exists a network of contractors, middlemen, and union power-brokers who thrive on Nigeria’s dysfunction. For them, a failure in operations is an opportunity, not a setback. The cycle is vicious: damaged equipment leads to new contracts; inefficiency sustains allowances; crises create negotiation leverage. In this context, success itself becomes a threat to livelihoods contingent upon a broken system.
Moreover, the role of labor unions has morphed in ways that challenge their foundational mission of protecting workers. Some unions have transformed into barriers to accountability, at times shielding inefficiency, absenteeism, and even sabotage. “Government work is nobody’s work,” has become an ingrained mentality, eroding the values necessary for collective progress. When punishment for wrongdoing is non-existent, complacency reigns. The true threat to Nigeria’s future is not a lack of resources or talent; it is a pervasive attitude of entitlement and disregard for duty.
To steer Nigeria toward effective development, we must initiate a cultural shift anchored in accountability and national pride. Serious measures must be taken:
- Treat Sabotage as a National Security Offense: Instead of dismissing it as a labor issue, we should classify sabotage in strategic industries as an offense against national interests.
- Balance Union Power with Accountability: The power enjoyed by unions must be counterbalanced with a strong emphasis on accountability, transparency, and performance evaluation.
- Revamp the Public Sector: Public jobs should not be viewed as welfare programs; instead, they should be places where hard work and accountability are rewarded, aligning incentives with national advancement.
- Tie Rewards to Productivity: We must shift our reward systems from seniority or entitlement schemes to performance-based evaluations.
- Protect Private Investments: Legal frameworks must protect private investments from the insidious threats posed by disgruntled insiders, ensuring that productivity thrives rather than languishes in a culture of sabotage.
The Takeaway
Nigeria finds itself at a precarious crossroads. The choice is ours: we can pursue a future where competence, discipline, and national interest guide our actions, or we can perpetuate a cycle in which sabotage is commonplace, failure is institutionalized, and national development remains an elusive dream.
Dangote’s experiences serve as more than a cautionary tale for private enterprise they reveal an urgent need to confront a culture that undermines progress at every turn. Industrial growth will not be achieved through infrastructure alone; it necessitates a fundamental reorientation of our workforce a shift from entitlement to responsibility, from sabotage to stewardship, and from personal gain to collective advancement. Until every Nigerian embraces national progress as a personal duty, the country will continue to falter. For a nation’s character truly dictates how high it can rise.
In grappling with these challenges, we have the opportunity to harness our immense potential and cultivate an ethical work environment that fosters accountability, innovation, and sustainable growth. However, this requires a collective commitment to changing the narrative around work ethics in Nigeria an urgent necessity if we are to secure a brighter future for generations to come.
Signed:
Otunba (Dr.) Abdulfalil Abayomi Odunowo, D.Sc (h.c)
National Chairman
Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu Support Group (AATSG)
Date: Thursday, 27th November, 2025
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +234 905 353 5322
Website: www.aatsg.org.ng
As we look to the future, let’s embrace the important role our choices play in shaping the destiny of our nation. Together, let’s commit to the path of active and positive citizenship!
Loyal to Country Nigeria, Loyal to an Elected President and finally Loyal to the Truth.
