A nationwide strike declared by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has stalled operations of key oil and gas regulators, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), and Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
The strike action, declared by PENGASSAN was in protest against the sack of 800 staff of Dangote Petroleum Refinery and their immediate replacement with Indian workers.
Reports indicated that the main gate of the NUPRC headquarters, Abuja was under lock and key, with several employees seen stranded outside the premises.
Security operatives on duty confirmed that no staff were allowed entry, in line with the strike directive issued by PENGASSAN.
Similarly, activities at the head office of NMDPRA were paralysed as workers fully complied with the industrial action.
The PENGASSAN Chairman in NMDPRA, Tony Iziogba, was reported to have said that the union had achieved “100 per cent compliance,” effectively restricting access to staff and visitors.
He added that his colleagues had also enforced 100 per cent compliance at the NNPCL and other relevant agencies.
PENGASSAN declared the strike became inevitable after the alleged wrongful dismissal of about 800 workers at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
The directive by the union to halt crude oil and gas supplies to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery has sent shockwaves through the energy sector, with oil marketers warning of severe disruptions in fuel distribution.
The development was coming few days after the Management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery announced the sack of all its Nigerian workers.
Dangote Refinery Sacks Nigerian Workers
The management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery, on 25 September, terminated the employment of all its Nigerian workers.
The decision to relieve the Nigerian workers came less than 24 hours after 90 per cent of them joined PENGASSAN, contrary to the stance of the company.
Dangote Petroleum Refinery announced the decision in a memo dated September 25, 2025, and signed by the Chief General Manager of Human Asset Management, Femi Adekunle.
The company had stated that the decision was taken as part of a “total re-organisation” of the plant, following reported cases of sabotage in different units of the refinery.
The notice directed affected staff to surrender all company property in their possession to their line managers and obtain exit clearance.
The Finance Department was also instructed to compute benefits and entitlements for payment, in line with terms of employment.
The Management of the refinery had also thanked the dismissed workers for their services while in its employment.
