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NNPCL Says Dangote Refinery Strike Cut Nigeria’s Oil Output by 16%
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PENGASSAN’s three-day industrial action crippled crude, gas, and power supply
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NNPCL warns of major threat to national energy security
Nigeria’s crude oil and gas output plunged during the three-day nationwide strike by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has confirmed.
The strike, which began on September 28 and was suspended Thursday after government-brokered talks with Dangote Refinery, cut daily crude production by about 283,000 barrels — roughly 16 per cent of national output — and slashed gas supply by 1.7 billion standard cubic feet per day. More than 1,200 megawatts of power generation were also knocked off the grid.
READ ALSO: PENGASSAN Suspends Strike, Warns of Immediate Resumption Over 800 Sacked Dangote Workers
Energy Security Under Threat
NNPCL warned that the disruption posed a “material threat to national energy security” if prolonged. According to the report, key facilities including Shell’s Bonga floating production unit, the Oben gas plant, and Nigeria LNG’s Train 5 and 6 were hit, while midstream operations suffered widespread interruptions.
Cargo loadings at Dangote Refinery and export terminals such as Akpo, Brass, and Egina were delayed, raising the risk of demurrage costs. At least five critical maintenance and project schedules were also disrupted.
“Significant Revenue Losses”
NNPCL disclosed that it deployed non-union staff to keep essential operations running but admitted to “significant revenue losses” from missed crude liftings and gas sales.
The crisis was triggered by the alleged dismissal of 800 unionised workers by Dangote Refinery. PENGASSAN responded by shutting down the Abuja offices of NNPCL, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
The action paralysed petroleum supply chains nationwide, sparking long fuel queues across major cities.
Although the strike has been suspended, NNPCL cautioned that systemic vulnerabilities exposed during the crisis still remain unresolved.
