Nigerian Oil Giant Resumes Production After Workers Suspend Strike

Seplat Energy workers have suspended their strike after the company committed to pay talks. Negotiations on the 2026 collective bargaining agreement will continue, with operations resuming and production targets on track.

Workers at Seplat Energy, Nigeria’s largest independent oil and gas producer, have suspended their strike action following the company’s issuance of written commitments regarding pay increases, the union confirmed on Saturday. The industrial action, which began on Friday after wage negotiations reached an impasse, had raised concerns about potential disruptions to oil and gas output at a time when Nigeria is seeking to maximize production amid rising global oil prices.
In a letter dated April 4 and addressed to Seplat’s Chief Executive, Roger Brown, Nigeria’s Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association (PENGASSAN) stated that it had directed its members at Seplat Energy to immediately suspend the industrial action. The letter, reviewed by Reuters, emphasized that negotiations had resumed with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) and that the union remained committed to resolving outstanding issues.
The union indicated that discussions on the 2026 collective bargaining agreement would continue, with the goal of concluding all unresolved matters by April 13. While PENGASSAN has not publicly disclosed the specific pay demands being sought, the suspension of industrial action signals a willingness to engage in constructive dialogue with the company.
Seplat Energy spokesperson Ogechukwu Udeagha confirmed that the suspension allows negotiations to proceed within an agreed framework, and assured that operations at the company’s various locations are resuming. Seplat is targeting an output of up to 155,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd) this year, up from an average of 131,506 boepd last year, as it seeks to scale production while continuing to serve as a major supplier of gas to Nigeria’s domestic power market.
The resumption of talks and the temporary halt to industrial action provide a measure of stability to Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, ensuring that production goals remain attainable and that domestic energy supply is not disrupted during a period of heightened global oil demand.