Business
Seplat workers begin indefinite strike over welfare concerns
Workers at Seplat Energy began an indefinite strike on Friday, a move that could disrupt production at a time of rising global oil prices and mounting pressure on Nigeria to boost supply.
The workers, under the aegis of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), embarked on the industrial action following a breakdown in negotiations over the 2026 collective bargaining agreement and broader welfare concerns.
The union communicated its grievances in two letters addressed to the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Reuters reported on Friday.
The workers said the strike would continue “until further notice.”
Seplat Energy had not issued an official response as of the time of filing this report.
However, PENGASSAN indicated that its members would scale down operations, including production reporting and export activities, while maintaining only essential safety and power functions.
The strike affects the company’s onshore and offshore assets, joint venture operations, and offices nationwide. Junior workers, represented by a different union, are not part of the action.
The industrial action comes despite the company’s strong operational performance in 2025. Seplat reported a 150.4 per cent increase in revenue to N4 trillion, driven by a significant expansion in output and its first full year of offshore operations.
Average daily production rose by 148 per cent to 131,506 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd), representing roughly 7 to 9 per cent of Nigeria’s total liquids output.
Onshore production also grew by 14 per cent, supported by upgrades to the Sapele Gas Plant, which increased processing capacity to 90 million standard cubic feet per day.
Despite the surge in revenue, profit growth remained constrained by rising costs, including substantial tax obligations.
The company projects production to increase to 155,000 boepd, underscoring the potential impact of any prolonged disruption.
“We benefitted from successful execution of several key offshore activities that kick-started life for Seplat as an offshore operator, while at the same time delivering onshore production performance that was the strongest in recent memory,” the CEO, Roger Brown, said.
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He added that drilling would remain central to the company’s long-term growth strategy, with plans to deploy its first jack-up drilling rig in the third quarter of the year.
Seplat, which is dual-listed in Lagos and London, also declared a fourth-quarter dividend of 5 cents per share and a special dividend of 3.3 cents. Mr Brown said the firm is on track to deliver cumulative returns of $1 billion to shareholders by 2030.
The strike comes amid ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East that have tightened global oil supply, heightening the potential impact on Nigeria if the disruption persists.
Seplat is a major supplier of gas to power generation companies across the country. Any sustained disruption to its operations could further strain the electricity supply nationwide.
BY MADUEKE OBIWANNE-(ABUJA)—The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has reaffirmed its commitment to expanding digital connectivity across the country, stressing that stronger fibre optic infrastructure remains critical to improving broadband penetration and bridging the digital divide.
The Commission said the renewed push forms part of broader efforts to accelerate digital transformation, drive economic growth, and ensure improved access to essential services such as education, healthcare, agriculture, and public service delivery nationwide.
Speaking at a Strategic Fibre Optics Training Workshop held in Abuja, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Dr Aminu Maida, said robust partnerships and technical expertise are essential to achieving nationwide digital progress.
Maida, whose remarks were delivered by Abraham Oshadami, noted that a properly regulated and durable fibre optic network is fundamental to the country’s digital development goals.
He explained that the workshop, themed “Strategic Fibre Optics Infrastructure Deployment and Regulatory Management,” comes at a crucial period as Nigeria steps up efforts to close the digital connectivity gap.
According to him, expanding fibre infrastructure remains a major driver of economic development and improved service delivery.
“As a country determined to boost broadband coverage, we recognise that strategic fibre rollout is vital for economic advancement, financial inclusion, education, healthcare, agriculture, and effective public service delivery,” he said.
Maida further disclosed that the Federal Government, through Project BRIDGE — Building Resilient Digital Infrastructure for Growth — under the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, is set to install an additional 90,000 kilometres of fibre optic cables across the country.
He said the initiative is designed to improve connectivity in all 774 Local Government Areas, with the aim of widening digital access and inclusion nationwide.
Despite the ambitious expansion plan, Maida acknowledged several obstacles, including expensive Right of Way (RoW) fees, administrative bottlenecks at state levels, and acts of infrastructure vandalism.
He, however, said the Commission is working closely with regulatory agencies, state authorities, and security institutions to tackle these issues.
According to him, 13 states have already removed RoW charges following the Commission’s engagement efforts, a development expected to encourage more investment from telecommunications companies.
The NCC chief also referred to a 2024 presidential directive, coordinated with the Office of the National Security Adviser, which classified telecom infrastructure as Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) to strengthen its protection.
Maida stressed that cooperation and capacity building remain key pillars of the Commission’s regulatory agenda.
He expressed confidence that the five-day training workshop, organised by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in collaboration with the Digital Bridge Institute and backed by the European Union, would enhance regulatory performance and support faster fibre deployment across Nigeria.
Also speaking at the event, Inga Stefanowicz, Head of Section for Green and Digital Economy at the EU Delegation, said the European Union’s global strategy places strong emphasis on investments in digital infrastructure, energy, transportation, healthcare, and education across Africa.
She added that the EU Digital Economy Package for Nigeria, launched in 2022, has committed €820 million, including €160 million in grants, to support digital skills development, innovation centres, and public digital infrastructure, with particular focus on fibre network expansion.
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