Iledare Warns PENGASSAN Strike Could Cripple Energy Sector, Calls for Dialogue and Rule of Law
Renowned petroleum economist, Professor Wumi Iledare, has cautioned the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) over its ongoing strike action, warning that the shutdown of critical oil and gas infrastructure could have devastating consequences for Nigeria’s economy, energy security, and investment climate.
In a strongly worded statement issued in Abuja, Iledare—Professor Emeritus of Petroleum Economics and Principal Facilitator at the FUPRE Energy Business School—acknowledged the union’s right to defend workers’ interests but urged restraint to avoid destabilizing the already fragile petroleum sector.
“The decision to shut down control room operations, gas supplies, and refinery inputs carries profound economic and social consequences,” Iledare said. “In the petroleum industry, a stoppage is not a simple switch-off; it destabilises systems, shrinks government revenue, triggers product shortages, and undermines investor confidence.”
The industrial action, which stems from workplace grievances and wider calls for accountability, has heightened fears of looming fuel shortages and electricity disruptions across the country.
While conceding that the union’s grievances—summed up in the slogan “no man is bigger than the country”—were legitimate, Iledare stressed that solutions must be pursued through legal and institutional mechanisms, not disruptive shutdowns.
“Where rights are breached, regulators must enforce compliance under the Petroleum Industry Act. Where misunderstandings exist, transparent mediation between labour, operators, and government should prevail,” he advised.
Iledare further warned that repeated strikes in the energy sector amount to an “invisible tax” on the Nigerian public, raising costs, driving up inflation, and discouraging both foreign and domestic investment.
“Posterity, not prosperity, must guide our choices,” he declared. “The way forward is to keep essential energy flows stable while resolving disputes through due process. No union, company, or individual should be greater than the Nigerian state.”
With the strike already threatening to strain Nigeria’s power supply and petroleum distribution networks, industry stakeholders are closely watching for government intervention and possible dialogue to avert a nationwide crisis.
