Operations at the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) were brought to a standstill on Monday as workers embarked on an indefinite nationwide strike over a disagreement with management concerning overseas training programmes.
The industrial action, led by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), resulted in the shutdown of the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja and field offices across the country, disrupting administrative and regulatory activities.
A staff member familiar with the dispute said the strike followed a breakdown in negotiations between the union and management over plans to localise staff training programmes.
According to the source, NUPRC management had proposed that specialised training, including Factory Acceptance Tests for Positive Displacement (PD) Meters, should be conducted within Nigeria rather than overseas as part of efforts to reduce costs and strengthen local capacity. The proposal was reportedly rejected by workers, leading to the industrial action.
Confirming the development, Eniola Akinkuotu, NUPRC Head of Media, said the strike had affected some administrative functions but had not disrupted oil production or operations at oil and gas facilities.
“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,” Akinkuotu said.
He added that the Commission’s management was already engaging union leaders to resolve the dispute and restore normal operations.
The strike has sparked concerns among economists and industry stakeholders, who warn that a prolonged shutdown could have far-reaching implications for Nigeria’s oil and gas sector and the broader economy.
Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE), Muda Yusuf, described the industrial action as unfortunate, particularly given the nature of the dispute.
According to him, the shutdown could affect critical regulatory processes, including the ongoing 2026 oil block licensing round and activities linked to Nigeria’s crude oil production targets.
“I think they need to rethink this action because it could create serious economic challenges for the country. It has the potential to affect oil production, disrupt the licensing round, impact investor confidence, foreign exchange earnings, and ultimately threaten macroeconomic stability,” Yusuf said.
He argued that management’s decision to prioritise local training appeared to be driven by cost-efficiency considerations and questioned whether the strike was proportionate to the issue in contention.
“We are in a period where organisations are looking for ways to cut costs and improve efficiency. If management believes local training can achieve the same objectives while reducing expenditure, there is nothing inherently wrong with that approach,” he said.
