The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has accused the Federal Government of disregarding local employment regulations by granting expatriate work permits to approximately 11,000 Indian nationals at Sterling Oil Exploration and Energy Production Company Limited.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, PENGASSAN President, Festus Osifo, condemned the actions of the Federal Ministries of Labour and Interior, alleging that they facilitated the employment of foreigners in roles meant for Nigerians. Osifo further warned that the union would stage a nationwide strike if the Indian expatriates were not deported.
“If all our efforts fail, PENGASSAN will not hesitate to call out its members on a full-scale strike,” Osifo declared. “We have been raising this issue for years, yet the government has refused to act. Are they on the side of Nigerians or Indians?”
He criticized the government’s failure to address rising unemployment while allowing foreign workers to take over jobs, including domestic roles such as cooks and security guards. According to him, this practice violates Nigeria’s Local Content laws, which prioritize Nigerian employment in the oil and gas sector.
Osifo also accused Sterling Oil of anti-labor practices, citing the company’s alleged dismissal of 18 Nigerian workers in 2017 for engaging in union activities. PENGASSAN has demanded that the sacked workers be reinstated and allowed to exercise their labor rights.
While the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) have promised to investigate, PENGASSAN insists that only an on-site inspection will reveal the true extent of the issue.
Osifo alleged that the company’s operations are almost entirely run by Indians, many of whom hold only secondary school certificates, while Nigerians are excluded from senior management positions.
“Jobs such as welding, security, cooking, and even communication panel operations are all carried out by Indians,” he lamented.
PENGASSAN has vowed to intensify its pressure on the government until the situation is rectified.
