By Muhammad Mamman
Nigeria’s oil and gas industry was thrown into turmoil on Monday as the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) began a nationwide strike, crippling 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).
The industrial action, declared by the union’s National Executive Council, saw members across the country withdraw their services, locking out staff and paralysing activities at key regulatory institutions. At the NUPRC headquarters in Abuja, the main gate was firmly shut, with employees stranded outside. Security operatives confirmed no staff were permitted entry. A similar shutdown was reported at the NMDPRA headquarters in the Central Business District.
Tony Iziogba, PENGASSAN Chairman in NMDPRA, said there was “100 per cent compliance” with the strike, a claim echoed across NNPC and other agencies.
The union said the strike became inevitable after the “unlawful dismissal” of about 800 workers at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery. It accused the company of breaching labour laws and International Labour Organisation conventions by sacking union members and replacing them with foreign workers.
In a resolution signed by General Secretary Lumumba Okugbawa, PENGASSAN ordered an immediate halt to all crude oil and gas supplies to the Dangote Refinery, directing International Oil Companies to wind down production destined for the facility.
The move has sparked fears of nationwide fuel shortages and possible power cuts, as NNPC remains the sole importer of petrol, while NUPRC and NMDPRA regulate supply and distribution. Oil marketers have already warned of looming scarcity and price hikes.
The union’s action follows a directive to members in offices, companies, institutions, and field locations to down tools from Sunday, September 28, with a round-the-clock prayer vigil preceding the shutdown.
With operations at critical agencies frozen, attention now turns to the emergency meeting convened by the Minister of Labour. Whether negotiations can ease tensions or Nigeria slides deeper into an energy crisis will depend on how far both sides are willing to compromise.
