Operations at the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) were brought to a standstill on Monday after oil-sector workers under the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) launched an indefinite strike over a dispute on foreign training allocations. The shutdown affected both the commission’s headquarters in Abuja and field offices across the country.
The workers reportedly blocked access gates and halted all administrative activities, insisting on transparency in the selection process for overseas training programmes. According to union members, the process lacked fairness, with allegations of favoritism influencing who gets access to international capacity-building opportunities.
The industrial action escalated after negotiations between PENGASSAN and NUPRC management broke down. While workers demanded continued access to foreign training, management maintained that key technical programmes, including Factory Acceptance Tests for Positive Displacement (PD) Meters, should be conducted locally to reduce costs and strengthen Nigeria’s institutional capacity.
The disagreement quickly snowballed into a full-scale shutdown, effectively grounding regulatory functions in the upstream petroleum sector. Sources confirmed that the strike has disrupted administrative operations nationwide, raising concerns about potential impacts on oil sector regulation and oversight.
Meanwhile, a security source revealed that representatives of both parties are currently meeting at the Office of the National Security Adviser in Abuja, where efforts are underway to broker a resolution and restore normal operations.
source: leadership