Nigeria’s oil and gas industry was thrown into turmoil Monday as the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) began a nationwide strike, shutting down key regulators and disrupting crude and gas supply.
The walkout, ordered by the union’s National Executive Council, forced the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to lock their offices. Workers across the country complied fully, union officials confirmed.
At NUPRC headquarters in Abuja, gates were padlocked with staff and visitors turned away. Similar shutdowns were reported at NMDPRA and NNPCL facilities. “Compliance is 100 per cent,” said Tony Iziogba, PENGASSAN chair at NMDPRA.
The strike was triggered by the alleged dismissal of 800 workers at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery. PENGASSAN accuses the refinery of union-busting, claiming staff were sacked for joining the association and replaced with expatriates.
In a resolution signed by General Secretary Lumumba Okugbawa, the union ordered an immediate halt to all crude and gas supply to Dangote’s operations, The News Chronicle gathered.
Marketers warn the disruption could send shockwaves through the energy sector, pushing up prices and worsening fuel scarcity.
