BREAKING: PENGASSAN Strike Shuts NNPC, NUPRC, NMDPRA in Nigeria

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has 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), following the commencement of its nationwide strike.

The strike, which began in the early hours of Monday, September 29, 2025, has crippled Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, raising fears of widespread fuel scarcity and soaring prices.

At the NUPRC headquarters in Abuja, the gates remained locked, leaving staff stranded outside, while at the NMDPRA headquarters in the Central Business District, activities were brought to a complete standstill. Security operatives confirmed that the strike order was fully enforced.

PENGASSAN Chairman at NMDPRA, Tony Iziogba, told journalists that the industrial action recorded “100 per cent compliance” across all affected institutions, including the NNPC.

The union said the strike was triggered by the alleged wrongful dismissal of more than 800 Nigerian workers by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery. It accused the refinery of violating labour laws and International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions, insisting that the sacked workers had been replaced by expatriates.

“All processes involving gas and crude supply to Dangote Refinery should be halted immediately,” PENGASSAN declared in a resolution signed by its General Secretary, Lumumba Okugbawa. “International Oil Companies must also suspend supply to the refinery and petrochemical operations.”

The union further directed its members nationwide to down tools and hold prayer vigils across field locations, intensifying pressure on the government and stakeholders.

With the shutdown of NNPC, the sole petrol importer and the suspension of regulatory oversight by NUPRC and NMDPRA, experts warn that the strike could disrupt fuel supply chains, choke gas deliveries to power plants, and trigger a nationwide energy crisis.

An emergency meeting called by the Minister of Labour is expected later today in Abuja. Stakeholders say the outcome of the talks will determine whether the strike continues or if normalcy can be restored to Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.

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