PENGASSAN vows to clash with oil firms over expatriate hires

Why PENGASSAN is sounding the alarm

At a packed National Executive Council meeting in Abuja, PENGASSAN president Festus Osifo laid out a grievance that many Nigerians in the oil and gas sector share: foreign workers are taking jobs that the law says should belong to locals. Osifo pointed to a surge in Indian technicians, vulcanizers and even operators on oil rigs, a trend he says flies in the face of the country's 70‑percent local content target set for 2027.

"A pressing concern is the high number of expatriates in Nigeria's oil and gas industry, mainly from India," Osifo said. He added that while skilled expatriates can boost productivity, the current imbalance fuels resentment among home‑grown engineers and welders who feel sidelined.

Who’s responsible and what could change

The union is not just blaming the oil majors; it is also calling out two government bodies that hand out the work permits. The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and the Ministry of Interior, according to Osifo, have been too lax in granting employment licences to foreigners for roles that could be filled by Nigerians.

"If you go to some of these companies, vulcanizers and conductors are Indians. Even operators are Indians. And that should not go," he warned. Osifo argued that the agencies need stricter oversight and that the quota system for expatriates, meant for niche expertise, is being abused for routine positions.

In the past, PENGASSAN has not shied away from naming specific firms. The union publicly called out Indorama, among others, and forced a review of its staffing policies. Osifo hinted that similar pressure could be applied again, saying, "We have been calling names. We are not shying away from calling names."

Demand: Enforce the 70 % local content rule across all staffing levels.
Target: Hold the NCDMB and Ministry of Interior accountable for permissive licensing.
Action: Publicly expose firms that flout the rules and push for corrective measures.

After the NEC meeting, the union resolved to "do everything possible to hold them to account," suggesting organized protests, legal challenges, or coordinated negotiations with the government. While PENGASSAN has not announced a specific strike date, the tone indicates that industrial action could be on the horizon if the status quo persists.

Industry observers note that the oil sector contributes roughly 10 % of Nigeria’s GDP, and any disruption could ripple through the broader economy. Yet many analysts also argue that over‑reliance on foreign talent undermines the development of a robust local workforce, which is essential for long‑term sustainability.

For now, the spotlight remains on how quickly the NCDMB and the Ministry of Interior will tighten their issuance of foreign work permits. If they act, the pressure on oil firms may ease; if not, PENGASSAN appears ready to turn its rhetoric into a full‑scale showdown.

8 Comments

Saurabh Shrivastav
September 28, 2025 AT 23:14

Oh wow so now Indians are the villains because they show up to work? Maybe if local engineers weren't sleeping through training programs we wouldn't need them. This isn't racism it's supply and demand. And before you cry "colonialism" - check your own resume.
Prince Chukwu
September 30, 2025 AT 23:09

bro i just saw a guy from kerala fix a blowout preventer with duct tape and a prayer and he was faster than the whole team of expats. we ain't here to steal jobs we here to lift the whole ship. if you can't swim don't blame the fish for being wet 😂
Divya Johari
October 1, 2025 AT 14:22

The erosion of national sovereignty through the unchecked influx of foreign labor represents a systemic failure of regulatory governance. The absence of enforceable quotas constitutes a dereliction of duty by state institutions tasked with protecting indigenous human capital. This is not nationalism. This is institutional collapse.
Aniket sharma
October 2, 2025 AT 16:02

Listen. I've trained five Nigerian welders in the last year. One got promoted to lead. The others? They're running their own small rigs now. The problem isn't expats. The problem is nobody's mentoring the next gen. Give people tools not speeches.
Unnati Chaudhary
October 4, 2025 AT 02:54

i think we're all just tired of being told we're not good enough. like yeah maybe some of us need more training but instead of helping people learn they just bring in someone else and say "see? they can do it better." why not help us get there instead of replacing us?
Sreeanta Chakraborty
October 4, 2025 AT 06:36

This is not about jobs. This is about the slow colonization of Nigeria’s critical infrastructure. The Indian government has been systematically deploying skilled workers under corporate umbrellas to establish economic footholds. The NCDMB is complicit. This is a coordinated geopolitical play. Watch the next phase: land acquisition under "technical training centers."
Vijendra Tripathi
October 4, 2025 AT 19:27

my cousin works in delta state he said the indian guys are chill they teach you how to do stuff real good. but the problem? no one checks if the local guys even got the certs. so its like giving a driver license to someone who cant even turn the key. fix the system not the people
ankit singh
October 6, 2025 AT 00:32

The real issue is the gap between policy and implementation. The 70 percent rule sounds great on paper but without standardized certification and training programs across states its just words. The expats are filling a vacuum created by neglect. Fix the pipeline not the people in it