Workers at Seplat Energy have launched an indefinite strike, raising concerns over potential disruptions to Nigeria’s oil output at a time of rising global prices and mounting pressure to boost supply.
The industrial action, announced Friday by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, follows a breakdown in negotiations over a 2026 collective bargaining agreement and unresolved staff welfare issues.
In letters addressed to the company’s chief executive and seen by Reuters, the union said the strike would continue “until further notice.”
Seplat did not immediately comment on the development.
PENGASSAN said its members would halt most operations, including production reporting and export processes, while maintaining only critical safety and power functions.
The strike affects the company’s onshore and offshore assets, joint-venture operations, and offices across Nigeria. A separate union representing junior workers has not joined the action.
Seplat reported average production of 131,506 barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2025, accounting for roughly 7% to 9% of Nigeria’s total liquids output. The company had projected output to rise to around 155,000 boepd, making any prolonged disruption particularly significant.
The strike comes as Nigeria, Africa’s largest oil producer, seeks to increase crude output amid higher global prices, fiscal pressures, and growing domestic refining demand following the ramp-up of the Dangote Refinery.