The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has cautioned that the country may soon witness a wave of talent flight in the oil and gas industry if remuneration is not urgently reviewed to reflect current economic realities.
Speaking on Thursday after the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja, PENGASSAN President, Festus Osifo, said professionals in the sector are increasingly considering opportunities abroad as inflation and the weakened naira continue to erode their earnings.
According to him, Nigerian oil and gas experts are globally competitive and easily absorbed in international markets.
“A drilling engineer in Nigeria performs the same tasks as one working in the U.S. or Abu Dhabi,” he said. “If we fail to address wage disparities, what we’ve seen in other sectors will be a shadow of what will hit this industry.”
Osifo noted that although the union had secured several collective bargaining agreements across government agencies, international oil companies and service firms, many organisations were still delaying salary adjustments despite the rising cost of living.
“This industry recruits some of the best talents in the country. Companies cannot hold back on proper remuneration if they want to retain skilled workers,” he said.
The PENGASSAN President also used the briefing to express deep concern over the rising insecurity across the country, urging the government to move beyond issuing statements of condemnation.
“We are tired of condemnations. Government must expose those sponsoring insecurity and protect citizens,” he said.
He backed calls for the establishment of state police, arguing that decentralised policing would strengthen community safety and help farmers return to their fields. He stressed that food inflation will persist if rural communities remain under threat.
Osifo added that economic achievements will remain meaningless to citizens unless policies translate into lower food prices and improved living standards.
“People want food on their tables, not just macroeconomic figures,” he said, urging authorities to align fiscal and monetary strategies to ensure real relief for households.
He reaffirmed that PENGASSAN remains committed to defending workers’ jobs and pushing for improved welfare across the oil and gas value chain.
