The Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), Bashir Ojulari, has expressed concern over the significant crude oil and gas production losses caused by the three-day strike embarked upon by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).
In a letter written to the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority and Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, Ojulari explained that the suspended strike led to 16 per cent oil production and 30 per cent marketed gas losses, while the nation suffered a 20 per cent power supply shortfall.
The national oil company’s letter, dated 29 September 2025 and titled ‘Impact Assessment of ongoing industrial action,’ was also sent to the National Security Adviser and the Director General, Department of State Services.
The industrial action caused by a rift between the union and the Dangote Refinery forced the shutdown of major oil terminals, gas plants and power facilities, leading to the deferment of 283,000 barrels of crude oil per day and 1.7 billion standard cubic feet of gas daily, choking off vital income streams from the country’s two biggest revenue sources.
This came as the leadership of the union announced the suspension of its nationwide strike against Dangote Petroleum Refinery following the intervention of the Federal Government, even as it cautioned that the truce remained temporary and could be revisited if the pending issues were not addressed.
The PUNCH reports that both PENGASSAN and the management of the 650,000 refinery have been at loggerheads.
The rift stemmed from allegations by PENGASSAN that the Dangote Refinery engaged in mass transfers and sackings of union members, while also replacing some Nigerians with foreign nationals, claims the company consistently denied.
The refinery’s management stated that the workforce reorganisation was due to operational requirements and not related to union activities.
The standoff escalated when the union embarked on an industrial action by halting gas and crude oil supplies to the refinery, raising the alarm over potential disruptions to the nation’s energy supply and economic stability.
The Federal Government intervened over concerns about the impact of the dispute, citing the risk of “adverse effects on the economy and energy security,” and convened high-level talks to resolve the impasse.
Detailing the financial losses in the letter obtained by our correspondent on Wednesday, the NNPCL GCEO said industrial action resulted in significant production deferments.
Ojulari disclosed that, within the first 24 hours of the strike, as of September 29, 2025, production deferments stood at 283,000 barrels of oil per day, 1.7 billion standard cubic feet of gas per day, and more than 1,200 megawatts of power generation
According to him, this translates to around 16 per cent of national oil production, 30 per cent of marketed gas, and 20 per cent of electricity supply, with the impacts expected to intensify if the situation lingers.
“As of 29 September 2025 (within the first 24 hours of the strike), production deferments stood at approximately 283 kbpd of oil, 1.7 bscfd of gas, and over 1,200 MW of power generation impact. This equates to around 16 per cent of national oil output, 30 per cent of marketed gas, and 20 per cent of electricity generation. Should the situation continue, the impacts are expected to intensify, posing a material threat to national energy security,” the GCEO noted.
The gas sector also recorded heavy losses during the strike, with about 1.7 billion standard cubic feet per day taken offline. Industry data showed that this volume translates to roughly 1.7 million Mcf of gas daily, which, when converted at 1.037 MMBtu per Mcf, amounts to about 1.76 million MMBtu each day.
He further explained that at least five scheduled critical maintenance activities have been affected, with knock-on effects likely to worsen deferments in subsequent periods. These include the USAN turnaround maintenance, AKPO GT-3 pigging, H2 well tests, annual compressor maintenance and SEPNU EAP IGE.
Ojulari also revealed that about 100,000 barrels per day of crude oil and 1.341 billion standard cubic feet of monetised gas across Joint Venture and Production Sharing Contract assets, which were due to be restored this week, have now been delayed.
“We truly don’t believe that he will keep to his own side of the bargain. We truly don’t believe that he will live up to expectations. We don’t believe. But because we have respect for institutions, because we have respect for government, because we have respect for processes, and because we have respect for procedures and because of those in government who sat up till almost 4 a.m. this morning to try and resolve this subject, the NEC has decided to listen to them. Even with our mutual suspicion that Dangote will not do what is right, even with our misgivings that the document did not clearly represent what we have asked for.
Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, which contributes more than 90 per cent of the country’s foreign exchange earnings and funds the monthly Federation Account Allocation Committee distribution.
On the truce reached following the Federal Government’s intervention, Osifo stated that the union was not entirely satisfied with the communique signed in Abuja.
“If you see that communique, it was signed only by the government. We were not satisfied with some of its contents. After examining it, we saw several grey areas and loopholes. We raised all our concerns, and the government gave us assurances they would be on top of them,” he explained.
