Operations at the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) resumed on Tuesday after workers suspended an indefinite strike that had disrupted regulatory activities across the country.
The industrial action, led by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), commenced on Monday over concerns relating to revenue allocation, staff welfare, training opportunities, and broader workplace conditions. The strike affected approvals and regulatory oversight activities at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja and its field offices nationwide, although terminal personnel were exempted from the action.
At the centre of the dispute was the one per cent share of NUPRC’s cost-of-collection revenue transferred to the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) under an arrangement facilitated by the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.
Workers argued that the deduction reduced NUPRC’s 2024 revenue allocation by approximately N69.9 billion, thereby weakening the commission’s financial capacity and its ability to effectively regulate the upstream petroleum sector.
The employees also criticised management’s increased reliance on local training programmes and what they described as an “operator-style approach” to regulation, which they claimed has created overlaps within the petroleum regulatory framework.
Commenting on the potential implications of the strike, Partner at Kreston Pedabo, Olufemi Idowu, warned that prolonged industrial action could have significant consequences for the industry.
“Any disruption could delay key processes such as field development plan approvals, crude evacuation permits and production optimisation initiatives, thereby slowing output growth,” Idowu said.
He further cautioned that regulatory uncertainty “could undermine investor confidence, particularly among international oil companies and new entrants who rely on timely approvals and policy clarity”.
Commission officials confirmed that the strike had been suspended following engagements between management and union representatives on issues relating to staff welfare and training.
With the dispute temporarily resolved, normal regulatory operations are expected to resume fully across the commission’s offices, restoring critical oversight functions within Nigeria’s upstream petroleum industry.
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