More than 1,300 employees of Western Metal Products Company Limited, WEMPCO, say their livelihoods are under threat following the appointment of a court receiver over 14 companies in the group.
The workers, through the Steel and Engineering Workers’ Union of Nigeria, SEWUN, have written to the Federal Government asking for urgent action to stop what they describe as an unfolding employment crisis.
In a petition dated August 17, 2026, to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Dingyadi, their lawyers at Abope Chambers alleged that the receiver/manager, Romeo Ese Michael, had shut workers out of their workplaces.
They said the development has left hundreds struggling to provide for their families.
According to the petition, the workers can no longer meet basic costs, including rent, food, transport, power, medical bills and school fees. Some have also staged peaceful protests over the situation.
The union is asking the minister to invoke the Trade Disputes Act and send the matter to the National Industrial Court. The core question, they said, is whether a receivership can automatically terminate existing employment contracts.
The petition also addressed reports suggesting WEMPCO was pulling out of Nigeria.
“We must hereby categorically state that there has never been and there is no intention of the WEMPCO Group to exit Nigeria as stated in the reports,” the statement read in part.
On the Lagos Oriental Hotel, the group clarified its stake.
“The Lagos Oriental Hotel is a flagship in the Nigerian hospitality business but is not a flagship of the WEMPCO Group. It is an investment made by the Group in 2008, but not part of our core manufacturing business.”
It added that any decision to sell the hotel would be purely commercial.
“Although the recent spate of advertisement of the hotel was not initiated or authorised by our group, to divest in the asset would simply be a commercial decision based on the merits of a reasonable transaction.”
The group further denied claims of special government waivers.
“Contrary to claims in the reports that the WEMPCO Group had relied on Federal Government waivers, the group has never received special concessions outside of those extended to industries as a whole.”
SEWUN said without government intervention, the prolonged shutdown risks deepening hardship for the affected families and the manufacturing sector.
