The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has intensified its picketing of Sterling Oil, protesting alleged labour violations and unfair employment practices at the company’s facility in Victoria Island, Lagos. The demonstration, held on Wednesday at Plot 205, Abiola Segun Ajayi Street, off Muri Okunola Street, is part of a broader push by the union to ensure Nigerian workers are not marginalized in the oil and gas sector.

Speaking at the protest, PENGASSAN National President, Comrade Osifo Festus, condemned Sterling Oil for allegedly sidelining Nigerian workers in favor of expatriates, particularly Indians, in key operational roles. He rejected the company’s proposal to hold a meeting at Eko Hotel, insisting that discussions must be conducted transparently, with regulators and industry stakeholders present.

Festus accused Sterling Oil of systematically replacing Nigerian workers with foreign employees, particularly in panel operations, a role he argued does not require expatriate expertise. He stated that the union would demand a full breakdown of the company’s workforce at the upcoming meeting with the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), comparing it with industry standards set by other major oil firms such as TotalEnergies, Chevron, and ExxonMobil.

He also alleged that Sterling Oil has engaged in anti-union activities, arbitrarily terminating employees every few months to avoid paying gratuities and pensions. He insisted that all workers, including those categorized as “manpower,” must be unionized immediately.

Festus warned that if Sterling Oil fails to address these concerns and present a clear plan for reducing its expatriate workforce, the protest could escalate into a nationwide industrial action. He called on the Nigerian government to intervene, emphasizing that replacing expatriates with qualified Nigerians would create thousands of jobs.

He further accused Sterling Oil of circumventing immigration laws by registering multiple companies to import foreign workers under different corporate identities. He urged regulatory agencies to investigate and take decisive action.

PENGASSAN reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that Nigerian workers receive fair treatment and vowed to sustain the protest until Sterling Oil complies with labor laws and industry standards.