The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria has kicked off a nationwide strike, bringing operations at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to a standstill.

 Entry gates at their Abuja headquarters were locked, security officers confirmed, and staff were barred from entering in full compliance with the union’s directive.

The move comes in response to the alleged wrongful dismissal of about 800 workers at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, which PENGASSAN says violated labour laws by dismissing employees for union affiliation and replacing them with foreign labour. 

With crude and gas supply channels halted, fears are mounting over imminent fuel scarcity and power outages, especially for gas-powered thermal plants that depend on continuous supply.