Wetin dey happen for Seplat Energy don finally calm small. PENGASSAN, dat na Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, don suspend di strike wey dem start since April 2. Di union members don dey ordered to return to work immediately.
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Di whole mata na about workers’ welfare and di 2026 Collective Bargaining Agreement wey dem no finish to negotiate. For days, tension dey high as workers withdraw dia services across Seplat operations. Dem dey for Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Eket, QIT, and offshore facilities. Di action raise fear say oil production go suffer.
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But now, di union say dem suspend di strike after “constructive and productive engagements” with Seplat management and stakeholders. Na di Executive Vice President, Business Services for Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) come waka in to help settle di matter. Di union get letter wey dem write to members on Saturday.
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“Following constructive and productive engagements between PENGASSAN, Seplat Management, and relevant stakeholders, led by di Executive Vice President, Business Services, NNPCL, on di ongoing 2026 CBA negotiations, we are pleased to inform you say Seplat Management don provide written commitments addressing our demands,” di letter yarn.
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Di union add say both sides agree to continue negotiations. Dem wan finish am and sign di 2026 CBA within di next few days. Di Branch Executive Committees for PENGASSAN SEPNU Branch and di Contract Branch don direct members to return to work immediately.
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“Consequently, di Branch Executive Committees hereby direct an immediate suspension of di earlier mandated withdrawal of services. Dis na to enable both parties to conclude di negotiations and resolve other outstanding welfare matters on or before April 13, 2026, as advised by di stakeholders and di EVP, NNPCL,” di statement add.
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Di union thank dia members for dia support and solidarity throughout di action. “We express our profound appreciation to all members for dia steadfast support throughout dis action and reaffirm our commitment to safeguarding di dignity and welfare of all Seplat Energy Plc employees,” dem talk.
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Di suspension come just hours after di union order total shutdown of operations. For dia earlier directive on April 2, dem tell all members to withdraw services across all Seplat locations “with immediate effect until further notice.” Dem talk say negotiations fail and demands no meet for both staff and contract workers.
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Di action make plenty people worry for oil and gas sector. Seplat na one of Nigeria’s leading indigenous energy companies with big onshore and offshore assets. Stakeholders warn say if strike prolong, e go affect crude oil output and disrupt upstream operations. Na serious mata especially now wey Nigeria dey try to stabilise production and boost revenues.
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Now say strike suspend, operations go dey okay small. But stakeholders say everything depend on whether both parties go meet di April 13 deadline to conclude di agreement. Di mata show how government-backed mediation dey important to settle industrial disputes for oil and gas sector. NNPCL dey serve as key stabilising force for high-stakes negotiations like dis.
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But if dem delay to reach final agreement within di agreed timeline, tension fit rise again. So di coming days go critical for both labour and management.
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Seplat spokesperson, Ogechukwu Udeagha, confirm say union don suspend dia notice of industrial action. “We can confirm say di union don suspend its notice of industrial action to allow negotiations to conclude on outstanding items within an agreed framework,” Udeagha talk. “Operations dey recommence for our various locations.”
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Details of di workers’ demands no clear yet. But di union talk say Seplat management don provide written commitments addressing dia demands. Di union president, Festus Osifo, tell TheCable say strike don “been called off” after Seplat accept di collective bargaining agreement terms.
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“Stakeholders intervene and Seplat management agree to CBA terms wey we earlier request for,” Osifo yarn.
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Seplat dey target production of up to 155,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd) dis year. Last year 2025, dem record average of 131,506 boepd. Di company wan scale output and remain key gas supplier to Nigeria’s domestic power market.
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Di industrial action come despite di company’s strong operational performance for 2025. Seplat report 150.4 per cent increase in revenue to N4 trillion. Average daily production rise by 148 per cent to 131,506 boepd, accounting for roughly 7 to 9 per cent of Nigeria’s total liquids output.
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Onshore production also increase by 14 per cent, supported by upgrades to di Sapele Gas Plant. Di plant processing capacity rise to 90 million standard cubic feet per day. Despite di revenue growth, profit expansion dey constrained by rising costs, including higher tax obligations.
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Di company’s projection to increase output to 155,000 boepd show how any prolonged disruption for dia operations go affect am.
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Dis na di second major industrial dispute involving PENGASSAN for eight months. Di union don earlier embark on strike against Dangote Refinery on September 27, 2025, over di dismissal of more than 800 workers. During dat action, PENGASSAN direct dia members across international oil companies to scale down gas production and supply to di refinery. Di strike don call off on October 1, 2025, after interventions and negotiations between di parties.
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For dis Seplat matter, only workers under PENGASSAN involve for di strike. Other less skilled workers wey dey covered by second union no participate.
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