By Seun Ibiyemi
Normal operations have resumed at the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) following the suspension of a one-day industrial action by workers after successful negotiations between management and labour unions.
The commission announced on Tuesday that the strike, which lasted about 12 hours, was called off on Monday night after discussions involving the NUPRC management, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers.
Head of Media and Corporate Communications at the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, Mr. Eniola Akinkuotu, confirmed the development in a statement, assuring stakeholders that regulatory activities within Nigeria’s oil and gas industry were never disrupted during the brief industrial action.
According to him, the strike affected only administrative operations at the commission’s offices, while oversight functions and activities at oil and gas production facilities continued uninterrupted.
“The industrial action was called off after a successful negotiation between the top management of the NUPRC, PENGASSAN and NUPENG,” Akinkuotu said.
He urged the public to disregard reports suggesting that crude oil production was affected by the protest, describing such claims as false and misleading.
Akinkuotu also dismissed reports that the disagreement was solely linked to foreign training opportunities, noting that management remained committed to staff welfare and capacity development.
“The Commission promises to improve the operating environment of its workforce and prioritise staff development in line with the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act,” he stated.
The strike began on Monday when members of PENGASSAN blocked access to the commission’s headquarters, disrupting administrative services nationwide.
Sources within the commission indicated that the dispute stemmed from management’s decision to prioritise local capacity-building programmes over overseas training opportunities.
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The move was reportedly aimed at reducing costs while strengthening domestic institutional expertise.
However, workers opposed the decision and insisted that foreign training programmes should continue, leading to the temporary shutdown of administrative activities.
The swift resolution of the dispute has eased concerns over potential disruptions to regulatory operations in Nigeria’s upstream petroleum sector, a critical component of the country’s oil and gas industry.
