The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has called on the Federal Government to adopt the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) model as the most effective approach to make the country’s refineries work efficiently.
President of PENGASSAN, Comrade Festus Osifo, who made the appeal at the 2025 Energy and Labour Summit (PEALS) in Abuja, said government must divest majority of its stakes in the refineries and allow experienced private operators with the requisite technical know-how to take control.
The summit, themed “Building a Resilient Oil and Gas Sector in Nigeria: Advancing HSE, ESG, Investment, and Incremental Production,” provided a platform for industry leaders to discuss sustainability, investment, and reforms within the sector.
Osifo stressed that decades of political interference have crippled the country’s refineries, and the only viable solution is to replicate the NLNG ownership structure.
“We have said countless times that there is a working model already in operation, and that is the NLNG model,” Osifo said. “The refinery should be revived, yes, but afterwards government must divest. Let government hold minority shares, while majority stakes go to competent investors who understand refinery operations. Not tailoring companies, not firms outside the oil sector, but those who have the expertise to run refineries efficiently.”
He explained that Nigeria already has the human resources to operate the facilities, but without the right tools and private sector efficiency, the refineries will remain moribund.
“There has been too much politics around refinery operations over the years. To reduce this, government must divest and allow the private sector to take majority decisions. This has been our advocacy for over a decade, and it remains the path to sustainable refinery operations,” he added.
The PENGASSAN president also issued a warning to companies preventing workers from unionising, saying such firms risk being picketed by the association.
Also speaking at the summit, the Authority Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Engr. Farouk Ahmed, stressed that Nigeria must embrace global best practices in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG), as well as Health, Safety and Environment (HSE), to remain competitive in the global energy market.
Represented by Bashir Sadiq, NMDPRA’s Executive Director of Corporate Services and Administration, Ahmed said the Authority is committed to working with labour unions and operators to strengthen capacity, attract investment, and create opportunities in the ongoing energy transition.
“The future of this industry rests in the choices we make today. We must champion safety, cut harmful emissions, demand transparency, and protect the dignity of every worker. A sustainable oil and gas industry is not just about regulations, but about fairness and respect for workers and communities,” he said.
In his remarks, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Felix Ogbe, underscored the importance of human capital development to the future of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
Represented by Esueme Kikile, General Manager, Human Capacity Development at NCDMB, Ogbe noted that while assets and infrastructure remain vital, it is skilled manpower that truly unlocks value in the industry.
“The future of Nigeria’s oil and gas sector will not only depend on the size of our reserves, but also on the competencies of our people,” he stated. “We must prioritise STEM education and vocational training at all levels, while fostering collaboration between government, labour, and industry to align capacity building with emerging opportunities. If we invest in our people, we can adapt to change and ensure the sector thrives for generations.”
