Oil Workers To Join Nationwide Strike Next Week

Leaders of one of Nigeria's primary oil and gas unions have announced their participation in a nationwide strike set to commence on October 3. The strike is intended to protest against government policies perceived as contributing to economic hardships for the Nigerian population, according to union leaders who made the announcement on Thursday. Nigeria, as Africa's largest oil producer, heavily depends on oil for approximately 90% of its foreign exchange earnings and around half of its budget. The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has instructed its members, spanning various roles in the oil and gas sectors, to fully adhere to the indefinite strike called by Nigeria's two largest workers union federations. NUPENG represents a diverse range of workers throughout the oil and gas value chain, including upstream oil platform workers, fuel tanker drivers, and pump attendants. Their decision to join the strike marks a significant escalation in the ongoing dispute between the unions and the government. NUPENG President Williams Akporeha expressed concerns that the government's policies have inflicted "excruciating and debilitating socio-economic pains" on Nigerians without corresponding measures to alleviate the immediate effects and impacts. President Bola Tinubu has faced mounting pressure to reconsider the decision to eliminate a popular petrol subsidy that had previously kept fuel prices low but strained government finances. While Tinubu's policies have garnered support from investors, unions argue that they have led to escalating costs for Nigerians, a substantial proportion of whom—roughly four in 10—live below the national poverty line. This comes at a time when the country is grappling with the highest inflation rate in nearly two decades.