By John Umeh
Nigeria’s oil and gas industry came to a standstill on Monday, September 29, as the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) began a nationwide strike that shut down key government agencies and regulators.
The strike, which took effect at 12:01 am, crippled operations at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA). At the NUPRC headquarters in Abuja, the main gate was locked, leaving scores of workers stranded outside. Security operatives confirmed that no staff were allowed entry in compliance with the union’s directive.
A similar scenario played out at the NMDPRA headquarters in Abuja’s Central Business District, where activities were completely grounded. PENGASSAN’s NMDPRA chapter chairman, Tony Iziogba, said the strike recorded “100 per cent compliance” at all affected institutions, including NNPCL.
According to PENGASSAN, the industrial action became inevitable following the alleged wrongful dismissal of about 800 workers at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery. The union accused the refinery of violating Nigerian labour laws and International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions by sacking workers for joining the association and replacing them with foreigners.
“All processes involving gas and crude supply to Dangote Refinery should be halted immediately,” the union stated in a resolution signed by its General Secretary, Lumumba Okugbawa. It also directed International Oil Companies (IOCs) to ramp down gas production and supply to the refinery and its petrochemical subsidiaries.
The strike has triggered widespread concern in the energy sector, with oil marketers warning of fuel distribution disruptions, possible shortages, and a surge in prices. With NNPCL remaining the sole importer of petrol and NUPRC tasked with enforcing gas supply to power plants, the shutdown threatens both fuel availability and electricity generation nationwide.
An emergency meeting called by the Minister of Labour is scheduled for later today in Abuja to avert a deeper crisis. Whether the government and PENGASSAN can reach an agreement quickly will determine how soon Nigeria’s critical oil and gas operations resume.
