A nationwide strike by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has crippled operations at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), throwing the country’s vital oil and gas industry into disarray.
The industrial action, which followed a weekend directive from the union’s National Executive Council, saw members across the country withdraw their services, effectively shutting down critical agencies that drive Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
As the strike officially commenced on Monday, reports indicated that the gates to the NUPRC headquarters in Abuja were locked, leaving employees stranded outside the premises.
A similar situation was observed at the NMDPRA headquarters in Abuja’s Central Business District, where activities were completely grounded.
Confirming the situation, the PENGASSAN chairman at NMDPRA, Tony Iziogba, said compliance was “total and uncompromising.”
According to him, “From Abuja to Lagos and all field stations, our members have shown unity. Nobody went in, nobody came out, and this will continue until justice is done.”
The union disclosed that the strike stemmed from the alleged unlawful termination of nearly 800 workers at Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
According to PENGASSAN, those employees were dismissed for union-related activities and replaced by expatriates, a move it described as a violation of both Nigerian labour laws and international labour standards.
PENGASSAN yesterday issued a nationwide directive, ordering all members to down tools from 12:01 a.m. on September 29, while those in field locations were instructed to shut down operations a day earlier.
The union also called on members to embark on continuous prayer sessions until their grievances are addressed.
The group further resolved that crude oil and gas supplies to Dangote Refinery must be halted immediately, stressing that international oil companies should scale down their production and suspend delivery to the facility.
“This strike is about fairness, and we will not watch while workers are victimised,” the union’s General Secretary, Lumumba Okugbawa, said in a statement.
Marketers have warned that the prolonged disruption could trigger a ripple effect, including product shortages, rising fuel prices, and deeper instability in the energy sector.
