Oil workers’ union shuts down Sterling Oil headquarters in Lagos over alleged labour abuses

The headquarters of Sterling Oil Exploration in Victoria Island, Lagos, was forced to close on Monday as members of Nigeria’s Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association (PENGASSAN) staged a protest against what they described as the company’s entrenched anti-labour practices.

Union leaders and workers arrived at the premises as early as 6am, singing labour solidarity songs and wielding placards demanding better treatment for Nigerian employees. Among the messages displayed were: ‘Reinstate sacked Nigerian workers’, ‘Stop Collective Bargaining Agreement victimisation’, and ‘End CBA violations’.

Speaking to journalists at the scene, PENGASSAN President Festus Osifo accused Sterling Oil of systematically sidelining Nigerian professionals in favour of expatriate workers, primarily from India.

“Our members in Sterling have been pushed to the background,” Osifo said. “They should tell us how many Nigerians are in managerial roles today. In other international oil firms, we have Nigerians serving as managing directors, deputy managing directors, and general managers. Why is Sterling different?”

He went on to describe working conditions within the company as “abysmal”, alleging that union members employed there had been subjected to unfair treatment and poor welfare standards.

Monday’s picket, Osifo warned, was only the beginning. Should Sterling Oil fail to address workers’ grievances, PENGASSAN would escalate its actions.

“If this injustice is not corrected, it could trigger a nationwide strike, paralysing the entire oil and gas sector,” he said, calling on the government to intervene urgently.

Sterling Oil, in a statement signed by its management, said all employees had been directed to work from home until the dispute was resolved, adding that efforts were underway to address the situation.

The standoff adds to growing tensions in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, where union leaders have long criticised multinational and local firms for what they claim is the systematic exclusion of Nigerian professionals from key roles.

About The Author

olu Ajetu

See author's posts