By Udeme Akpan, Energy Editor
Nigeria’s oil and gas regulatory operations have come under threat nationwide as workers of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), under the aegis of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), embarked on an indefinite nationwide strike.
The strike resulted in the shutdown of commission offices across the country over disputes bordering on welfare, training and other industrial issues.
The industrial action, which commenced on Monday, led to a total shutdown of regulatory activities at the NUPRC headquarters in Abuja and field offices nationwide, effectively grounding the administrative and operational functions of the upstream petroleum regulator.
Vanguard gathered that essential operational staff had been exempted pending further directives based on the outcome of ongoing discussions, while administrative and regulatory activities at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja had been severely affected.
Vanguard also learnt that after a series of negotiations between staff representatives and management over long-standing industrial issues — including institutional governance, staff welfare, promotions and training opportunities — collapsed, the aggrieved workers resorted to strike action.
Sources informed Vanguard that the workers demanded a review of the current cost-of-collection structure, particularly the one per cent allocation to the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
According to the workers, the arrangement had weakened the upstream regulator’s operational efficiency and financial capacity.
It was also gathered that the workers accused the NUPRC leadership of adopting an operator-style approach to regulation, which they argued created overlaps in responsibilities within the wider petroleum regulatory framework.
The aggrieved employees further alleged that the commission’s management was paying lip service to staff development, career progression and capacity building for both junior and senior personnel.
Sources familiar with the development said the strike was further triggered by the breakdown of negotiations between the union and management over the handling of staff training programmes, particularly management’s position that capacity-building initiatives should be conducted locally rather than overseas.
According to the sources, management insisted that training programmes, especially those related to Factory Acceptance Tests for Positive Displacement (PD) meters, should be conducted within Nigeria to reduce costs and strengthen local institutional capacity — a position reportedly rejected by the workers.
Reacting to the development, the Head of Media and Strategic Communications at NUPRC, Mr. Eniola Akinkuotu, said: “It is true that some administrative activities were affected today due to industrial action taken by the unions. However, this has not in any way impacted activities in oil and gas facilities or production in general.
“The top management of the Commission is meeting with the unions in order to put an end to the strike and ultimately restore normalcy.”
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