The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) on Monday began a nationwide strike that shut down 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).
Lens News observed that the headquarters of NUPRC and NMDPRA in Abuja were locked, with employees and visitors denied entry. Union leaders confirmed what they called “100 percent compliance” with the strike order.
PENGASSAN said the strike followed the sacking of about 800 workers at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, which it described as a violation of labour laws and an attempt to replace Nigerians with expatriates.
As part of the action, the union has also ordered the suspension of gas and crude supplies to the Dangote Refinery, a move that could worsen fuel supply challenges and affect power generation nationwide.
The shutdown of the three key oil and gas agencies is already sparking fears of fuel scarcity and economic disruption. The Minister of Labour has reportedly convened an emergency meeting to resolve the crisis.
