KEY POINTS
- The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission says oil and gas production remains stable despite a staff strike
- The strike by PENGASSAN has disrupted administrative operations due to disagreements over training programmes
- Management and union leaders are currently negotiating to resolve the dispute and restore normal operations
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission,NUPRC, has assured stakeholders that Nigeria’s crude oil and gas production continues without disruption, despite an ongoing industrial action by workers under the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN.
The strike, which began on Monday, has affected administrative operations at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja and several field offices nationwide. However, officials insist that upstream oil activities remain fully operational and unaffected.
According to reports, the industrial action led to the shutdown of several administrative units within the commission. Offices at the headquarters and regional branches experienced reduced activity as workers downed tools over unresolved internal disputes.
Despite this disruption, the commission clarified that critical regulatory and operational functions tied to oil production were not impacted.
Oil production remains stable
The Head of Media and Strategic Communications at NUPRC, Eniola Akinkuotu, explained that while administrative duties were affected, Nigeria’s oil and gas production facilities continued normal operations.
He stressed that the strike had no influence on upstream activities, including production output, monitoring systems, or field operations.
According to him, the commission has put measures in place to ensure that national energy supply and regulatory oversight remain steady throughout the period of industrial action.
Sources within the commission revealed that the strike stemmed from disagreements between management and staff over foreign training opportunities.
Workers reportedly opposed management’s decision to prioritise local training programmes over overseas capacity-building initiatives. Management, on the other hand, argued that local training would reduce costs and strengthen Nigeria’s institutional expertise.
The disagreement escalated after negotiations broke down, leading to the shutdown of operations across several offices.
The commission has confirmed that efforts are underway to resolve the dispute. Senior management officials are currently in discussions with union representatives in a bid to restore normal operations and end the strike.
Officials expressed optimism that ongoing negotiations would address the concerns raised by workers and prevent further disruption to administrative activities.
