The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria has called on the Federal Government and regulatory agencies to ensure policy stability, faster approvals and predictable regulations to attract more investment into the oil and gas sector.
PENGASSAN also urged the government to submit recent executive orders on the petroleum industry to the National Assembly as an executive bill seeking amendments to the Petroleum Industry Act, stressing that the process should be transparent and involve all stakeholders.
The union made the demands in a communiqué signed by PENGASSAN President, Comrade Festus Osifo, and its General Secretary, Comrade Jerry Amah, at the end of its three-day 5th PENGASSAN Energy and Labour Summit in Abuja, from August 19 to 21, 2026.
The summit, with the theme, ‘Strengthening Regulatory Frameworks as a Catalyst for Stability and Growth in Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Industry,’ brought together government representatives, regulators, oil and gas companies, investors, organised labour, industry professionals and other stakeholders.
The association said Nigeria needed a stable and competitive fiscal and regulatory environment to attract the long-term capital required to develop its oil and gas resources.
It urged the government and regulatory institutions to minimise abrupt policy changes and ensure adequate consultation with stakeholders before introducing major changes in the industry.
PENGASSAN also called for improved coordination among regulatory and government agencies to eliminate overlapping mandates, repetitive approvals and conflicting directives which, it said, increased the cost of doing business and weakened Nigeria’s competitiveness for global energy capital.
The union said regulation should protect national interests, workers, host communities, investors, safety and the environment while enabling legitimate businesses to operate efficiently.
It urged regulators to embrace digitalisation, set clear approval timelines, and adopt transparent processes, arguing that regulatory effectiveness should be measured by its impact on investment, production, revenue generation, worker protection, and national value creation.
On investment and production, PENGASSAN said Nigeria could not rely solely on its large hydrocarbon reserves to attract investors, noting that the country was competing with other oil-producing jurisdictions for limited global capital.
It therefore urged the government to consolidate recent reforms and incentives that had encouraged fresh investments and Final Investment Decisions in the sector.
The association also identified gas as a key driver of industrialisation, noting that Nigeria had more than 215 trillion cubic feet of proven gas reserves but had yet to fully convert the resource into reliable energy and economic growth.
It called for an integrated national gas development strategy covering upstream supply, processing, pipelines, storage, LNG, LPG and CNG infrastructure.
PENGASSAN further urged the government to accelerate the use of gas for electricity generation, manufacturing, transportation, fertiliser, petrochemicals and domestic cooking, while reducing routine gas flaring and methane emissions.
The union also called for sustained policies and investments to expand domestic refining capacity and reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported petroleum products.
It stressed the need to protect refineries operating within Nigeria, including the Dangote and Waltersmith refineries, saying greater domestic refining and processing would create jobs, conserve foreign exchange and promote industrial development.
On labour issues, PENGASSAN said capital and labour were complementary rather than competing interests, stressing that sustainable investment required skilled, motivated and fairly treated workers.
It called for stronger protection of jobs, accrued benefits, pensions, collective bargaining agreements and other established workers’ rights, particularly during mergers, acquisitions, divestments and asset transfers.
The association also warned that increased production must not come at the expense of workers’ lives and well-being, insisting that occupational health and safety remain non-negotiable.
On Nigerian content, the union called for a shift from procurement targets to developing Nigerian companies and professionals capable of competing globally on competence, quality, governance, and cost.
It also demanded stronger enforcement of expatriate quota requirements to ensure that foreign expertise was deployed only where genuine skills gaps existed and accompanied by measurable knowledge transfer and succession plans for qualified Nigerians.
PENGASSAN urged the government to sustain collaboration with security agencies, operators and host communities to consolidate recent gains in the fight against crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism.
It also called for effective implementation of the Host Communities Development Trust framework under the PIA, saying host communities must become genuine partners in petroleum development.
The association said Nigeria’s major challenge was no longer a lack of resources, laws, institutions or human capacity but the failure to translate them into bankable projects and measurable outcomes.
It therefore called for stronger execution discipline, measurable targets, clearly assigned responsibilities and transparent monitoring of commitments.
The union said, ‘Policies must translate into implementation; resources into projects; projects into production; production into value; and investment into sustainable jobs and national prosperity.’
PENGASSAN called for deeper collaboration among the Federal Government, regulators, NNPC Limited, operators, investors, organised labour and host communities to resolve bottlenecks and accelerate investment and production.