By Aisha Muhammad Magaji
Nigeria’s oil and gas industry was on edge Monday as the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) began an indefinite strike that forced the shutdown of key institutions, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.), the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
The industrial action stems from the dispute between PENGASSAN and the Dangote Refinery over alleged unfair dismissal of workers and refusal to allow union representation at the multibillion-dollar facility.
The President of PENGASSAN, Festus Osifo, told journalists in Abuja that members had no choice but to withdraw their services.
“Our members have been pushed to the wall. We cannot fold our arms while Nigerian workers are treated unfairly in a sector that is vital to our nation’s economy. Until the sacked workers are reinstated and union rights are respected at the Dangote Refinery, this strike will continue,” Osifo said.
He explained that the directive to shut down activities covered all regulatory agencies and state-run operations in the sector.
Reports indicated that NNPC headquarters in Abuja and zonal offices in Lagos and other parts of the country were shut down. Operations at the NUPRC and NMDPRA were also suspended, raising concerns over crude supply monitoring, product distribution, and licensing approvals.
Energy analyst, Bala Zakka, warned that the impact of the strike could be immediate.
“With NNPC, NUPRC, and NMDPRA under lock and key, crude lifting, product distribution, and oversight activities will be affected. If this action lasts more than a few days, Nigerians should expect disruptions in fuel availability,” he said.
Already, queues were spotted at some filling stations in Abuja and Lagos as anxious motorists rushed to buy fuel. A depot operator who spoke on condition of anonymity said:
“Some of the loading operations were disrupted today. If the strike continues into midweek, the supply chain will feel the heat.”
The federal government has appealed to the union to suspend the strike and return to the negotiation table. The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, assured that discussions with all parties were ongoing.
“We are engaging the union, the refinery management, and other stakeholders. The government recognizes how important this sector is and we will do everything possible to resolve the dispute quickly,” Lokpobiri said.
Stakeholders fear that if the strike drags on, it could lead to nationwide fuel scarcity, disrupt the newly restarted crude supply chains, and dent investor confidence in Nigeria’s energy sector.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has also weighed in, calling for immediate dialogue. A senior official of the NLC said:
“This is a sensitive sector. Government and management must resolve the matter urgently because Nigerians cannot afford another round of fuel scarcity.”
PENGASSAN, the government, and the Dangote Refinery management are expected to continue in the coming days. Until then, the shutdown of NNPC, NUPRC, and NMDPRA remains in effect, keeping the entire oil and gas sector at a standstill.
