The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) on Monday began a nationwide strike that crippled operations at key oil and gas institutions, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
The industrial action, declared in response to the alleged wrongful dismissal of 800 workers at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, left offices locked and staff stranded across Abuja and other major cities.
At the NUPRC headquarters in Abuja, the gates were firmly shut, with security operatives confirming that no worker was allowed entry. Similar scenes played out at the NMDPRA headquarters, where operations were completely grounded.
PENGASSAN Chairman at NMDPRA, Tony Iziogba, told The PUNCH that the union had secured “100 per cent compliance” across agencies, including the NNPCL.
The union has also directed a halt in crude oil and gas supplies to Dangote Refinery, accusing the company of flouting labour laws and replacing dismissed Nigerian workers with foreigners.
“All processes involving gas and crude supply to Dangote Refinery should be halted immediately,” PENGASSAN’s General Secretary, Lumumba Okugbawa, said in a statement.
The move has sparked fears of imminent fuel scarcity and power outages, with oil marketers warning of supply shocks and rising pump prices.
PENGASSAN’s strike notice took effect at 12:01 am on Monday, September 29, with members in field locations ordered to down tools a day earlier while holding round-the-clock prayer vigils.
An emergency meeting called by the Minister of Labour is expected to hold later today in a bid to break the deadlock. Whether talks succeed or Nigeria slips deeper into an energy crisis will depend on the outcome of that meeting.
