LAGOS, NIGERIA — More than 25 former Honeywell Flour Mills (HFM) employees unhappy with the terms of their severance packages from Flour Mills of Nigeria (FMN), the company’s majority owner, staged a protest at HFM’s Tincan office on Sept. 21, the Nigerian Bulletin reported.

FMN, Nigeria’s leading food and agricultural company, completed its acquisition of a 77.75% stake in HFM, an affiliate of Honeywell Group Ltd., in May 2022 following regulatory approval. HFM subsequently laid off nearly 100 workers on July 28, 2023.

The protesting workers accused FMN of planning to deduct gratuity, which had been paid to them as far back as 2016, from their severance packages. The workers also said they had yet to receive their severance nearly two months after their layoffs. During the protest, the former staff blocked the entrance to Honeywell’s main gate for over three hours, disrupting the movement of workers and trucks.

FMN operates modern manufacturing facilities in 12 states with production capabilities across grain milling, edible oil and sugar refining, agricultural inputs, and animal nutrition and protein segments. HFM is a manufacturer and marketer of wheat-based products, including flour, semolina, whole wheat meal, noodles and pasta.