Nigerian crude oil giant resumes pumping after workers suspend strike

The country's largest independent oil and gas producer, Seplat Energy, has issued written commitments on pay rises, the workers union said.

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FILE PHOTO: Roger Brown, Chief Executive Officer at Seplat Energy, talks during the Africa Oil Week and Green Energy Africa Summit in Cape Town. / Reuters

Workers at Seplat Energy , Nigeria’s largest independent oil and gas producer, have suspended strike action after the company issued written commitments on pay rises, their union said on Saturday.

Workers walked out on Friday after wage negotiations stalled, raising concerns about oil and gas output at a time when Nigeria is seeking to maximise production amid rising global oil prices.

In an April 4 letter to Seplat's Chief Executive Roger Brown seen by Reuters, Nigeria’s Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association (PENGASSAN) said it had directed members at Seplat Energy to immediately suspend industrial action after negotiations resumed with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC).

The union said talks on a 2026 collective bargaining agreement would continue, with the aim of concluding outstanding issues by April 13. The union has not disclosed what pay demands it is seeking.

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“We can confirm that the union has suspended its notice of industrial action to allow negotiations to conclude on outstanding items within an agreed framework,” Seplat spokesperson Ogechukwu Udeagha said. “Operations are recommencing at our various locations.”

Seplat targets output of up to 155,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day this year, up from an average of 131,506 boepd last year as it seeks to scale production while remaining a major supplier of gas to Nigeria’s domestic power market.