Nigeria faces a double crisis beginning today (Monday) as the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) launched an indefinite nationwide strike, halting operations across the oil and gas sector.
The union’s directive, which took effect at 12:01 am, has already sparked fears of surging fuel prices and widespread electricity blackouts. PENGASSAN members in offices, companies, institutions, and agencies have withdrawn their services, while field workers downed tools as early as Sunday morning, joining a prayer vigil to press their demands.
At the heart of the dispute is the mass sack of more than 800 Nigerian employees at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery. In retaliation, PENGASSAN has ordered a suspension of crude oil and gas supplies to the facility, a move oil marketers warn could choke fuel distribution nationwide.
The crisis deepened as power generation companies announced a total shutdown of thermal plants, which account for more than 70% of Nigeria’s electricity output. The shutdown threatens to plunge the country into darkness, crippling businesses and worsening hardships for millions of households.
The union described its action as a necessary response to what it termed the “reckless treatment” of Nigerian workers, insisting that the strike would continue until government and industry stakeholders addressed the grievances.
