The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has urged President Bola Tinubu to urgently convene a broad-based stakeholders’ meeting to clarify the Executive Order recently signed on the nation’s oil and gas industry.
In a statement issued by its President, Prince Williams Akporeha, the union said the directive has generated widespread concern among workers across the upstream, midstream and downstream segments of the industry.
NUPENG noted that the absence of detailed public engagement on the contents and implications of the Executive Order has heightened tension within the sector, particularly regarding job security, labour agreements and the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
“As critical stakeholders in Nigeria’s oil and gas value chain, petroleum workers have expressed deep concern and anxiety over the content, intent and implications of the Executive Order,” the statement read.
The union emphasized that the oil and gas industry remains the backbone of Nigeria’s economy, contributing significantly to national revenue, foreign exchange earnings and employment. It warned that any policy shift introduced through an Executive Order could have far-reaching consequences for regulatory frameworks, investment decisions, operational standards and labour relations.
NUPENG called for clarity on several key issues, including the specific scope and objectives of the Order, whether it amends or expands existing provisions of the PIA, and its potential impact on workers’ job security, conditions of service, collective bargaining agreements and ongoing restructuring processes—particularly within the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
The union also raised concerns about possible implications for indigenous participation and local content development, questioning how the directive may affect Nigerian companies and employment opportunities for citizens.
According to NUPENG, failure to provide adequate clarification could lead to misinterpretations capable of destabilizing operations and undermining the industrial harmony achieved in the sector.
The union stressed that a timely stakeholders’ meeting—bringing together organised labour, regulatory agencies, operators and host community representatives—would help address misconceptions, reduce tension and strengthen transparency in government policy.
While reaffirming its commitment to constructive engagement and national development, NUPENG maintained that it remains constitutionally bound to protect the rights, welfare and job security of its members.
The union, therefore, called on President Tinubu to take immediate steps to engage stakeholders in the interest of industrial peace, economic stability and national progress.
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